Technical Advice · New Construction
What should be considered when designing a new elevator system?
A new elevator system should be designed around the building's population, traffic patterns, use, service requirements, architectural constraints, code obligations, and long-term operating needs—not simply selected from a manufacturer's standard offering.
Start with traffic and building use
The number of elevators, capacity, speed, zoning, and operating strategy should reflect how people and materials will move through the building. Office, residential, hotel, hospital, educational, public, and mixed-use buildings can have very different peak demands and service requirements.
Coordinate the complete system
Design decisions involve more than the elevator car. Hoistways, pits, overhead clearances, machine spaces, power, emergency operation, communications, entrances, fixtures, cab finishes, HVAC interfaces, structural requirements, and other building systems need coordinated criteria.
Write performance-based specifications
Specifications should establish required performance, equipment quality, controls, door operation, fixtures, testing, documentation, warranty, maintenance, and project responsibilities. Clear requirements allow multiple qualified contractors to bid against the same basis.
Continue through construction and acceptance
Submittal review, coordination, installation observations, issue resolution, testing, punch-list work, documentation, and final acceptance help verify that the installed system meets the project requirements established during design.