Decoding the Strategic Approach

In this Readers’ Platform, your authors discuss the significance of VT processes uncovered during the planning stage.

Attractive real estate potential and higher floor-space index (FSI) regulations coupled with a scarcity of developable land leave no choice but for buildings to grow vertically and have urban centers. Elevators, which have been in use since the beginning of the 20th century, are seeing higher demand than ever. They have evolved and, in turn, helped architects revolutionize building design in terms of height and shape. Elevators can now travel in multiple directions at ever-increasing speeds.  

We must understand what constitutes the efficient selection of elevators in different types of projects. Factors such as population, wait time, building height, building type, usage, etc., are critical parameters on which elevator sizing and speed are based. Traffic analysis is essential for designing a new building and identifying the size, speed and capacity of needed elevators. Therefore, we can appreciate that design is a complicated and vital decision for the successful operation of a building; it is highly recommended that a vertical-transportation (VT) consultant be appointed at the beginning of the design stage. The lift consultant works with the architect, structural consultant and fire consultant, among others, to understand the VT requirements of the building and incorporate them in a coordinated way.

In urban centers, especially, vertical-mobility devices’ locations or positioning input help architects create better designs. Lift consultants traditionally have been in the industry for a long time, are associated with different lift vendors and, hence, have domain expertise and awareness of the latest offerings by lift companies, as well as all the applicable laws in force.

As project management consultants, we come across a variety of projects with unique requirements. The most common terms of lift analysis we come across are handling capacity, average wait time and queuing length. However, lift traffic design is more complex. A consultant can iterate various other parameters, such as a door’s closing and opening time, the logic behind the response to a call, locations of entry and exit, etc., to suggest the best-possible design option. 

In urban centers, especially, vertical-mobility devices’ locations or positioning inputs help architects create better designs.

One of the challenges we face is that most commercial spaces are designed for an anticipated population count, but it is difficult to predict the expected population on every floor. While discussions are usually based on the number of seats expected per square foot of carpet, or the leasable or net built-up area, a more-scientific approach would be to tackle this issue by having a test-fit layout, thus arriving at a more realistic population count.

Another example is the planning of amenities within an office building. There are three peak periods in an office building: the morning up-peak, which is almost exclusively up traffic from the lobby; lunchtime, which has traffic in both directions as passengers leave the building for lunch while others return; and the evening peak, when workers leave the building at the end of their shifts, with almost exclusively down traffic. If the design brief calls for a cafeteria or canteen in the building, the architect will need to consider where they will place it. Traditionally, most office lift design is done with up-peak calculation. A restaurant on the first floor may cause severe congestion during the lunchtime rush, and the lift will not travel much farther than the first floor because it will be transporting lunch traffic. To avoid this, the developer should engage a lift consultant early, during concept evaluation, which will help identify the right location. Unfortunately, codes and general practice do not consider this.

Traditionally, elevator systems have hall call buttons at each floor landing. However, we see destination control systems (DCS) replacing call buttons in commercial buildings. With DCS, passengers enter their destination floor at the landing, and the system indicates which elevator to use. DCS elevates performance by improving handling capacity. In new buildings, destination control helps optimize the number of elevators and thus reduces the chance of the system overloading if a lift car is out of use for goods transportation, maintenance or is broken down. However, the biggest downside of DCS is a lack of awareness as to how the system works. For example, if a group needs to travel together in the elevator and only one of them selects an intended travel floor, the elevator will not have the correct information and will thus increase the queue length and average waiting time (AWT) for others. This can be resolved by integrating the DCS panel on the turnstiles at the entrance to the lobby level so each employee swipes an identity card.

If elevator design is not handled correctly from the conceptualization stage, it can lead to costly delays and rectifications.

Another trend we see is the demand for higher elevator speed from clients. Clear traffic analysis by a lift consultant can prove that, for a low- to mid-rise building (fewer than 12 floors), usually a speed of 1.75 m/s is sufficient to move a given population to the destination, which is essentially the result of achieving the desired acceleration and deceleration before reaching the goal. An elevator with a speed greater than this will not reach the maximum speed before arriving at the destination.

In some recent projects, we have seen lift consultants suggest using escalators instead of shuttle elevators from parking floors (basements) to the main lobby level, especially when a large population is expected to arrive at the parking level. Escalators are a far more efficient way to move people into and out of buildings in a short time. They can carry more passengers and are continuously available (no wait time). On the downside, an escalator takes up more space than an elevator and is not wheelchair-friendly, thereby making at least one elevator necessary. 

The main thing to learn is that appointing a well-qualified VT consultant at the design stage is a positive step in ensuring the success of the building, its operations and its comfort.

For a building to run smoothly in the operation stage, elevators must be well-designed. They should complement the designated space and allow passengers to enjoy a seamless experience when moving through the building and using the lifts. If elevator design is not handled correctly from the conceptualization stage, it can lead to costly delays and rectifications. Sometimes, poor composition can get past the planning stage, into construction and, finally, operation. This can make life difficult for passengers. 

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, many facility managers implemented social-distancing standards in their buildings, which has impacted VT systems. These systems create intimate contact environments that pose potential high risks to the health of users. Implementing social-distancing standards lowers car capacity relative to building population, which will negatively impact the movement of people. The COVID-19 scenario has led to clients and facility managers emphasizing technological innovation for elevators. For example, we can install automated body temperature measurement and touchless apps using smartphones, voice commands and QR codes at building entrances. A building can be fitted with proximity sensors, facial-recognition devices and voice command controls to minimize contact with surfaces.  

Maintaining safe distances between large groups of people needing to move vertically remains a significant challenge. As employees return to their offices over time, and things get back to normal, getting them through the main door and up to their offices safely and efficiently is today’s big challenge, and we will continue returning to the experts in the field for answers for some time to come. 

The main thing to learn is that appointing a well-qualified VT consultant at the design stage is a positive step in ensuring the success of the building, its operations and its comfort. The VT consultant can help the architect find optimal solutions for elevator selection, the system’s critical amenities and units’ placement within a building. In light of the pandemic, VT consultants can suggest the most effective and efficient ways to safely move a population to a desired destination, such as staggered traffic flows with predetermined time slots, or other technological advancements.

Richa Chaubey, assistant general manager, project management, has been associated with Colliers Project Management, Bengaluru team, for more than nine years and has worked on a variety of real estate projects, including residential, commercial and mixed-use. Her core competencies are design, procurement and cost management. She is an architect with a master’s degree in construction management from NICMAR and an MBA from the University of Cincinnati in the U.S.