Thyssenkrupp Elevator Receives Energy Certification

China

The four double-deck elevators supplied by ThyssenKrupp Elevator for the Shanghai World Financial Center have been certified in accordance with the VDI 4707 energy-efficiency Class “A” rating. With specially designed drives and aerodynamic cladding for cabs and doors, these units were among the first such installations in the world (ELEVATOR WORLD, October 2010). The elevators’ regenerative drives contribute to their low energy consumption, and energy generated when the cabs are stopped is converted into electricity and fed back into the supply grid. The power can then be reused to operate the elevators, each of which consists of two connected cabs.

MTR Selects Kone For Metro Project

KONE has been selected by MTR Corp. to supply 49 elevators, 79 heavy-duty escalators and four moving walks for the new South Island Line (East) and the Kwun Tong Line extension projects in Hong Kong, which are both scheduled to be completed in 2015. The elevators will feature KONE’s regenerative drives, which can recover up to 35% of an elevator’s total energy consumption. Several of the heavy-duty escalators, ideal for heavily trafficked areas, will also be equipped with regenerative solutions.

The South Island Line will connect to the MTR network at Admiralty to the Southern District of Hong Kong via four new stations. The Kwun Tong Line will extend to existing line commuters in the Ho Man Tin, Hung Hom and Whampoa areas, which are not yet served by rail service. KONE currently maintains more than 1,000 elevators and escalators in MTR’s existing network.

India

Delhi Metro Upgrades

In January, the Delhi Metro Rail Corp. (DMRC) announced it would install another 800 elevators and escalators during Phase III of its metro station modernization project. DMRC currently operates 399 elevators and 490 escalators across 140 stations, eight depots and other installations in the system. Existing units are regularly checked by an Inspector of Lifts team nominated by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. To ease the inspection process, DMRC is planning to install an automatic monitoring and rectification system during Phase III. In addition, DMRC will provide an additional escalator for pedestrian overpasses at Laxmi Nagar, Akshardham and Jasola-Apollo stations. A new lift will also be installed at the Patel Nagar station entrance. DMRC has also teamed with Bharat Scouts and Guides of Northern Railways to help educate the public on the safe use of elevators and escalators.

Medical Plaza Planned

Ahmedabad-based JP Iscon Group is planning the construction of a three-story medical plaza in the town of Deesa, near Ahmedabad. Christened Iscon Pride, the 150,000-sq.-ft. facility will offer a range of healthcare facilities under one roof. The plaza will include high-speed elevators and stretcher lifts, among other amenities such as operation theaters, 24-hour ambulance service, pharmacies, a cafeteria and a restaurant. The facility, one of the first of its kind in the nation, is expected to open this year.

MBSS EXPO 2012

The Metal Buildings and Steel Structures Expo (MBSS) 2012 is scheduled to be held April 12-14,  at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Mumbai. MBSS is designed to promote the use of steel and allied metals in construction and serve as a platform to showcase the latest products and innovations in the industry. The event is also an ideal platform for exploring new business opportunities and disseminating knowledge. Organized by INIS Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., MBSS aims to integrate steel and allied metals not only in infrastructure and industrial projects, but also in the high-rise building segment. For more information, visit website: www.mbs-india.com.

Kuwait

Silk City Planned

The Kuwaiti government and private backers have committed US$132 billion to build Madinat al-Hareer, also known as the Silk City. Labeled one of the most expensive construction projects in the region, Silk City will be opposite Kuwait City, and built on 62,000 acres. The city will include an international airport, numerous bridges, shopping centers, convention centers, residential towers and a kilometer-tall skyscraper known as the Burj

Mubarak al-Kabir. Construction of the city’s infrastructure has begun, with project completion scheduled for 2023. 

Upon completion, the Mubarak is expected to be the tallest building in the world. The megatall skyscraper will be constructed using three twisting, interlocking structures to protect it from 150-mph winds and resulting vibrations. Other protections include mechanically adjusted flaps, similar to those on an airplane. Estimated to cost US$7.37 billion, the Mubarak is scheduled for completion in 2016. Plans call for the Mubarak to be surrounded by seven 30-story “neighborhoods,” which will house apartments, offices and hotels. Four-story “town squares” will link each neighborhood.

Malaysia

PNB Tower Development

Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), one of Malaysia’s largest fund-management companies, expects to begin construction of the proposed 100-story Menara Warisan Merdeka project by the middle of this year. PNB has submitted plans, including designs and concepts, for approval by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. Earlier reports indicated PNB will develop the Warisan Merdeka project in three phases over 10 years, beginning with the 100-story tower. The development is also expected to include a retail complex and condominium. The tower, scheduled for completion in 2015, is expected to become the country’s tallest. Apart from the Warisan Merdeka site, PNB’s property portfolio includes Menara PNB, PNPB Darby Park, Kenanga International Building, Bangunan MAS in Kuala Lumpur, Hotel Perdana in Kota Baru and PNB Ilham Resort in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

Mexico

Kone Receives Certification

KONE and FIDE, an organization in Mexico that acknowledges companies for energy-efficiency achievements, have been working together for more than a year to establish the energy-consumption specification for elevators, which is based on the VDI 4707 classification. As a result, KONE recently received the FIDE certification for its MonoSpace® and MiniSpace™ elevators, making it one of the only companies to offer products with such a rating in Latin America.

According to The Street, KONE is also concentrating on the development of standards such as ISO/DIS 25745 Energy Performance of Lifts and Escalators, which will help define criteria for measurement, comparisons between different technologies and product energy-consumption levels.

Morocco

Shopping Mall’s Aquarium Elevator

Visitors to the Morocco Mall in Casablanca can take an elevator ride through a 31-ft.-tall conical acrylic aquarium designed and built by International Concept Management (ICM). The aquarium has an inner acrylic cylinder housing a glass elevator that takes guests on a 5-min. ride through a coral-reef environment populated by 3,000 aquatic animals representing 41 different species, educating passengers about ocean life. One of the challenges engineers faced was earthquake activity. With Casablanca situated in an active seismic zone, ICM kept the aquarium as a freestanding structure sitting on its own concrete slab separate from the mall. This cushions the tank from tremors and isolates it from any movement the rest of the mall may experience in an earthquake. During construction, two small tremors rippled through without damaging the structure.

Home to various types of fish, the aquarium holds 264,000 gal. of saltwater. The exterior of the aquarium is 40 ft. in diameter at the bottom and 44 ft. in diameter at the top of the cone. For a fee, guests can take the educational elevator ride through the aquarium to the top floor of the mall or opt for a diving session in the tank.  

Netherlands

Lift Emotion To Supply Yacht

Meppel-based Lift Emotion B.V. has been awarded the contract to build elevators for Delta Design Group’s 66-m yacht, Invader. Being built for an American family, with interior design by Johnson, Wen, Mulder Architecture and Diane Johnson Design, the yacht will include two elevators. The passenger elevator from Lift Emotion’s “C” line is a hydraulic unit with an electronically controlled steering valve to ensure a smooth ride. Cabin space will be maximized, with the unit using central opening sliding cabin and landing doors with special allowance for interior cladding on the inside of the door entrance to match the deck’s surroundings. The unit will travel from the main to bridge deck.

The second unit, a trolley elevator for the crew, will have special A60 hinged doors. The cabin will be hoisted using a drum drive placed adjacent to the trunk of the lowest deck. The cabin size will be maximized to allow a Vulcan VHP15 trolley inside, to be transported over five decks. The completed yacht is expected to be delivered in 2013.

Russia

Kone Provides Equipment For Business Center

KONE received an order to supply vertical-transportation equipment to the Kutuzovsky Business Center in Moscow in late 2011. The mixed-used building is expected to open at the end of 2013 and will include retail, office and residential space, restaurants and a sports center. In addition, there will be five underground levels for parking.

Among the vertical-transportation equipment will be 28 MiniSpace™ and 12 MonoSpace® elevators, in addition to four TravelMaster™ escalators. The elevators will feature KONE’s Polaris™ hybrid destination-control system, which will reduce waiting times. The building will also be equipped with 36 Infoscreen displays to inform and guide passengers for smoother building flow. The KONE E-Link traffic-monitoring system will also help provide efficient elevator service for building residents.

Scotland

Otis to Equip Glasgow Subway Network

Otis has been selected to replace all 28 escalators on the Glasgow Subway network, which includes 15 stations, as part of an overall modernization project by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). The installations will enable the network to cope with the passenger demands of the upcoming 2014 Commonwealth Games, which is expected to see more than one million attendees over 11 days. The escalators will be replaced over four years and provided by Otis’ Breclav factory in the Czech Republic. The escalators will be equipped with energy-efficient features such as standby technology, LED lighting and energy-efficient lubrication. Overall, the SPT expects the Otis equipment to help the network reduce its CO₂ emissions by 20%.

Kone Acquires Lift Maintenance

In December 2011, KONE signed an agreement to acquire Lift Maintenance Ltd., an independent elevator service company based in Scotland. In business for more than 35 years and employing over 70 elevator maintenance and modernization employees, Lift Maintenance will continue to operate as an independent company under its current name. According to Michael Williams, managing director of KONE U.K., with Lift Maintenance’s strong reputation in its chosen markets, the acquisition will mutually complement KONE’s existing business in Scotland.

South Korea

Thyssenkrupp Elevator Receives Kidp Award

ThyssenKrupp Elevator (Korea) Ltd.’s NHN “green factory” headquarters project in Bundang has received the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP) President Award at Good Design Selection 2011, which is organized by KIDP and has been held annually since 1985. The building is equipped with 19 ThyssenKrupp elevators, 14 of which are high-speed, and three machine-room-less and two geared units. The building’s simplicity in design and ecological features were key credentials for earning the award.

The elevators are equipped with destination selection control and regenerative drives, both of which provide energy savings. The cab interiors feature special ceiling material, which allows more efficient transmission of light. Instead of chemical etching, an energy-efficient vibration technique was used to create design patterns on the stainless-steel walls and doors.

The Cloud Tower Design Controversy

South Korean developer Yongsan Development Corp. has said it will not alter the design of a twin-tower project known as The Cloud, despite complaints that it mimics the explosions at New York’s World Trade Center in 2001. Designed by Dutch architects MVRDV, the towers will be built at the entrance to Seoul’s redeveloped Yongsan business district and connect in the middle via a cloud-shaped section housing sky lounges, restaurants and a swimming pool. A spokesman for Yongsan Development said allegations that the design was inspired by the 9/11 attacks are groundless. In a statement, MVRDV said it was not its intention to create an image resembling the attacks, nor did it see a resemblance during the design process. Construction of the towers, one 54 and the other 60 stories tall, is to begin January 2013 as scheduled.

Spain

Mitsubishi Electric in Barcelona Tower

Mitsubishi Electric announced in December 2011 that it was awarded the lift contract for the high-rise office building Porta Firal Tower3 in Zona Ranca de Barcelona. The company will supply nine elevators through its authorized distributor FAIN Ascensores of Spain. Six of them are NexWay high-speed units equipped with Mitsubishi Electric’s group controls coupled with a “Destination Oriented Prediction System.” This is particularly intended to improve traffic flow, especially in buildings with heavy up-peak traffic. The tower, like the other Porta Firal high rises in Barcelona, will stand 91 m/25 stories tall. It is to be developed and constructed by Iberdrola Inmobiliaria.

Switzerland

Schindler Supplies Roche

Schindler has been selected to supply elevator systems for the Roche tower, known as Building 1, in Basel. The contract includes 14 Schindler 7000 high-rise elevators, capable of traveling at speeds up to 6 mps, as well as Schindler’s Personal Occupant Requirement Terminal traffic-management system for increased efficiency. The Schindler 7000 elevators combine high performance with energy efficiency by utilizing an energy-recuperation system that feeds excess power back into the building’s electricity grid. The elevators also carry an “A” rating from VDI 4707. Designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron, the 178-m-tall tower is scheduled for completion in 2015. When complete, it will be Switzerland’s tallest building.

Schindler Subsidiary Acquires Henseler

In January, AS Aufzüge, a Schindler subsidiary, acquired Henseler Aufzüge and its affiliates. The Henseler Group is a medium-sized company employing more than 150 people. Known for its “Magic” elevator system, which allows the elevator to be serviced from inside the car, Henseler holds several international patents. AS Aufzüge, also a medium-sized company, specializes in customized elevator solutions and maintenance services for a wide range of elevator brands. The company headquarters, competence center and production facilities will remain in Küssnacht am Rigi and undergo an expansion this year.

Thailand

Mitsubishi Electric’s Overseas Business, New Series, Maintenance Structure

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. launched a new series of energy-efficient, machine-room-less (MRL) elevators, NEXIEZ-MRL, in December 2011. Among the series’ energy-efficient features are LED lighting, regenerative converters, energy-saving operational control, variable traveling speed system for improved traffic efficiency and smooth emergency terminal slowdown technology to help save space.

In an effort to strengthen its global supply of parts and engineering services, Mitsubishi Electric Building Techno-Service Co., Ltd., established Meltec Parts & Engineering Co., Ltd., a parts-supply and engineering company in Chon Buri. The NEXIEZ series will be mainly manufactured in Thailand by Mitsubishi Elevator Asia Co., Ltd. The new company will take over the role of Mitsubishi Electric’s Inazawa Works in Japan.

Turkey

Thyssenkrupp Elevator Architecture Award 2011 Winners

In December 2011, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, in partnership with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, awarded the three winning projects of the ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Award 2011 in Istanbul. Radionica Arhitekture, led by Goran Rako of Croatia, received first prize (US$100,000) for the Disaster Prevention and Education Centre project; group8asia, led by Manuel Der Hagopian of Vietnam, received second prize (US$50,000); and third prize (US$20,000) went to 109 Architects, led by Youssef Mallat from Lebanon. A total of 2,692 architects in 1,495 teams from 95 countries were eligible for the award, submitting 287 projects from 59 countries.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has allocated 27,000 m² of land for the construction of the Disaster Prevention and Education Centre. One of the first institutions of its kind in Turkey, the center will be equipped with audiovisual educational appliances and simulation systems to recreate the experiences of earthquake, hurricane, firefighting, smoke, inundation, first-aid and emergency communications. The center will also include a planetarium, library, information boards and seminar and meeting halls.

Worldwide

CTBUH Design Competition

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) will hold its International Student Tall Building Design Competition in conjunction with its 9th World Congress in Shanghai, to be held September 19-21. All university students are invited to participate, and the registration deadline is June 22. According to CTBUH, the goal of the competition is to shed light on tall buildings in modern society. As the global climate changes urban sustainability forces designers to construct buildings using energy-efficient methods.

Competition participants are allowed to conduct their projects anywhere in the world, in addition to determining the size, height, function, accommodation and responsibilities of the building. CTBUH encourages participants to consider the following elements while designing their projects: sustainability, energy efficiency, space and usage, structure, new technologies and innovative functionality. For more information, visit website: www.ctbuh.org