Elevators: What are Priority Controls?

In last week’s blog we discussed how the vertical transportation industry had introduced measures and technology to better prepare elevator systems in the event of an earthquake. To read about Seismic Switches for elevators click ‘here’. This week we will focus on a preventative measure available in the event of unauthorised persons gaining access to a building and attempting to gain control of its elevator systems. Fortunately this is an eventuality that has been considered by the industry and there are solutions available. One of these solutions is called Priority Controls.

What are Priority Controls?

Priority controls are one way to enhance security for elevators systems. Once priority controls have been installed operators can remotely dispatch and park all lifts away from the main building floor. Priority controls have also been referred to as ‘riot controls’.

How do Priority Controls Work?

When a remote switch or alarm control is activated by a building’s security team, the lifts will all go and park with doors open at a preset floor, away from the main building entry floor so that unauthorised persons cannot force entry into the building and use the elevators to disappear into the building.

What are the Benefits?

The primary benefit is enhanced security for the building and protection for elevator systems. Unauthorised persons will not be able to access other floors of the building subject to stairwells also being secure. Often priority controls are part of a building’s plans and are installed as one of a range of security measures to protect buildings. Priority controls have been installed in many buildings in central London and around the world.

Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. Are you currently planning a project that will involve vertical transportation? Do you want to install priority controls? We would be happy to discuss with you. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via garyavis@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Image credit: www.apexelevatordc.com

What are the Tallest Buildings on Each Continent?

The world’s tallest buildings have long fascinated the general public as well as those employed in the vertical transportation industry. We have Elisha Otis to thank for the creation of our vertical transportation industry of course. You can read about his contribution 'here'. With this week’s post we have chosen to highlight the world’s tallest buildings on a continent-by-continent basis. Some of these buildings you will be familiar with, others less so.  Let us know how many of the seven tallest buildings you have visited in the comments section below.

Tallest Building on Each Continent

Asia - Burj Khalifa  

The tallest building in Asia is Burj Khalifa. Burj Khalifa was built in 2010 is located in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It is the tallest artificial structure in the world and stands 828m or 2717 feet high and has 160 floors.  The building has 57 lifts and 8 escalators. The lift cabins have a capacity of 12 to 14 people. The lifts installed at Burj Khalifa are the world’s fastest Double-deck elevators equipped with LCD entertainment units. 

Europe – The Federation Tower

The tallest building in Europe is set to be the Federation Tower in Moscow. Its height is 374 metres or 1227 feet and it has 101 floors. It is a complex of two buildings built on one podium. One of the towers stands 97 floors high (Tower East) and the second tower (Tower West) stands 65 floors high. Construction originally started in 2003 but was halted and only resumed in 2011. The Tower is due to be finally completed towards the middle of 2016. There are 67 lifts at the Federation Tower. Twenty Two TWiN elevators have been installed with equipment from ThyssenKrupp (Germany) and Schindler (Switzerland).

North America - One World Trade Center

The tallest building in North America is New York City’s One World Trade Center completed in 2013. It has a height of 541.3 metres or 1776 feet and has 104 floors and is a symbol of renewal and hope. There are 73 lifts and 11 escalators at One World Trade Center, designed and installed by ThyssenKrupp. The five express elevators travel at over ten meters per second, which is close to record-breaking speed.

Oceania  - Q1 - Queensland Number One

The tallest building in Oceania is Q1 or Queensland Number One. The Skyscraper is located on the Gold Coast in Australia. The building is 322.5 metres in height or 1058 feet and has 78 floors. Q1 is the tallest all residential building in the world and was opened in 2005. It has 11 Kone lifts that travel at a speed of 9 metres per second.

South America - Gran Torre Santiago

The tallest building in South America is the Gran Torre Santiago located in Santiago, Chile. This skyscraper is 300 metres in height or 984 feet and has 64 floors and 6 floors below ground too. Although construction commenced in 2006 due to some delays the building was only completed in 2013. The building has 24 high speed lifts that travel at 6.6 metres per second. 

Africa – The Carlton Centre

The tallest building in Africa is the Carlton Centre located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Constructed in 1973 the Carlton Centre is 223 metres high or 732 feet and has 50 floors. The building houses offices and shops and has 46% of the floor area below ground level. The Carlton Centre has 18 lifts arranged in 3 banks of 6 serving different sections of the Tower. In addition there is one express lift serving the observation platform known locally as ‘The Top of Africa’. The lifts travel at a speed of 1400 feet per minute. 

Antartica - Long Duration Balloon (LDB) Payload Preparation Buildings
   
The tallest buildings in Antartica are the Long Duration Balloon (LDB) Payload
Preparation Buildings. The buildings are located at McMurdo Station on volcanic rock at the southern tip of Ross Island on the shore of McMurdo Shore, Antartica and form part of a United States research centre. Built in 2005 they are 15 metres in height or 49 feet and do not have any lifts. Given the climate it is no surprise that the Long Duration Balloon (LDB) Payload Preparation Buildings are the least visited buildings on our list. The climate is also the reason that the buildings need to be moveable – previous buildings were covered in snow during the winter and it took several weeks for them to be dug out and useable again. The Long Duration Balloon (LDB) Payload Preparation Buildings are a solution to that problem because they are movable buildings on skis that have been placed on a snow platform known as a berm.

Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. Are you currently planning a project that will involve vertical transportation? We would be happy to discuss with you. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via garyavis@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Image credit: bit.ly/1UO0EuT

Where is the Highest Escalator in the World?

There are many impressive examples of vertical transportation all around the world. We have placed a spotlight on many of them with our blog posts. In this post we turn our attention to the highest escalator in the world.  The highest escalator in the world is actually one of a pair of escalators. The location of these escalators is as far removed from standard installations of linear escalators as you can imagine.

Where is it?

The highest escalator in the world is in Japan at the Sky Building located in the Umeda district of Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. The Sky Building is Osaka’s seventh tallest building and got its name because of its height; the building consists of two 40 story towers rising 173 metres (568 ft) from the ground. A pair of escalators bisects a circular atrium piercing the roof and upper levels of the building. These two escalators are the highest escalators in the world.

Who built it?

The building was originally planned in 1988; it was to be the “City of Air” project and there were to be four interconnected towers. Costs for this project prohibitive and four buildings were subsequently scaled down to two. The scaled down building with two towers was designed by Hiroshi Hara and was constructed by the Takenaka Corporation. Construction was completed in 1993. The building has a rooftop observatory, a floating garden observatory and an underground market. At the bottom of the towers there is an urban garden with walking trails and water features.

Who owns it?

The Toshiba Corporation wholly owned the building until in July 2008 they sold a majority stake (65%) to Nomura Real Estate. They retained 35% ownership. Tenants of the Sky Building include Mazda, the Consulate General of Germany and Astra Zeneca. It is possible to pay a small fee of 700 yen to ride the glass elevator to the top of the Sky Building and then to experience the highest escalators in the world first hand.

Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. Are you currently planning a project that will involve vertical transportation? We would be happy to discuss with you. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via garyavis@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1HHqShB

Innovation: What is special about the lifts at the QT hotel in Sydney?

At Dunbar and Boardman we keep a watching brief on innovation within the vertical transportation industry and bring it to your attention. In 2013 new technology was installed into the 5 Otis traction lifts at the QT hotel in Sydney located in the historic Gowings Building. The new technology created interactive installations and was the work of a company called Alchemy.This technology enables the lift to change music dependent upon who’s inside much to the amusement of passengers riding the lift. The interactive installations have cemented the hotel’s quirkiness and have been largely well received.

How Do the Interactive Installations Work?

The hotel’s lifts have heat sensors that detect how many people are in them. Fewer people will generate slower music and more people equals party music. Specifically if the lift senses that travelling alone, it plays songs like Elvis's "Are You Lonely Tonight?" or Eric Carmen's "All by Myself." Should another person hop on the lift, the music will adjust to different tunes, including "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers and "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor. Get four people in the elevator and it's fiesta hour: everything from Prince's "1999" to Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" will get the party started. It is worth pointing out that interactive music installations can be muted. In addition to the music the lifts also feature the digital art installations of Daniel Boyd, which combine elements of indigenous Aboriginal art with the European artistic traditions.

What are the Benefits of these Interactive Installations?

The QT hotel has been able to generate a lot of publicity related to their unique lifts and anecdotal evidence indicates that some people are visiting specifically to ride in the lifts.

You can see the lifts in action ‘here’.

Dunbar and Boardman keep a watching brief on technological advances within the vertical transportation industry to better serve our clients. Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. Do you have a current or planned project that would benefit from using an interactive installation? We would be happy to discuss any such requirements and how we may be able to assist. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via peterboardman@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Five of the world’s most Impressive Escalators

The vertical transportation industry has changed massively since the 1850s, as you would expect. Here at Dunbar and Boardman we are sure that both Elisha Otis and Nathan Ames would be genuinely amazed at the type of elevators and escalators that exist today. To read more about Elisha Otis click here. The name of Nathan Ames is not as well known as Elisha Otis. It was Ames who invented something he called Revolving Stairs and who has become enshrined in history with his US patent number 25,076 – generally acknowledged as the world's first escalator. Following our last post devoted to amazing elevators this time we have chosen to focus on five of the world’s most impressive escalators.

We would love to hear about your personal favourites, please feel free to comment at the bottom of this post or tweet us your thoughts via https://twitter.com/DunbarBoardman

1.  CNN Center's atrium escalator in Atlanta, Georgia

CNN Center's atrium in Atlanta Georgia (USA) has the longest freestanding escalator in the world. It travels the distance of 62 meters equivalent to 8 stories. This escalator is supported only at both ends. Originally built for a theme park, it now transports visitors for CNN studio tours.

2. Central Mid Levels Escalator, Hong Kong

The longest covered outdoor escalator system in the world is in Hong Kong where the 800 metres long escalator rises 135 metres. It takes 20 minutes to ride the entire length of this escalator, but travellers can stop off at places like the traditional Hong Kong Central Market. Another stop offers a visit to antique shops. This system is comprised of 20 escalators and 3 moving walkways with footbridges 14 entrances and exits. This escalator is known as the Central-Mid-Level escalator system and it is located in one of Hong Kong's trendiest residential areas. 

3. Outdoor escalator in Medellin, Columbia

A huge outdoor escalator has been built in one of the poorest areas of Columbia's second largest city. The escalator replaces hundreds of steps equivalent to climbing a 28 story building. This escalator is over 1,200 feet long with several stops where people living on the hillside have access to it. This giant escalator reduced the journey from 35 minutes to 6 minutes and saved a lot of energy and stress. This is a marvellous enhancement for the lives of the poor people that use this system.

4. The Haulien Farglory Ocean Park, Taiwan

The Haulien Farglory ocean park in Taiwan has an amazing escalator. This escalator travels through the main aquarium on an undulating escalator that is airtight while sharks and other creatures of the sea swim nearby. This escalator is staggered so that passengers can go to the bottom of the aquarium on stairs and climb back up to the escalator.

5.  Saint Petersburg Metro - Moscow, Russia

The longest individual escalators in the world are in the underground stations of the Saint Petersburg Metro. Three stations: Ploshchad Lenina, Chernyshevskaya, and Admiralteyskaya have escalators up to 137 metres long and 68.5 metres high.

If you have enjoyed this post you might also like Curved escalators: Who made the first one?

Are you planning a vertical transportation project including escalators?  Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. We would be happy to discuss any such requirements and how we may be able to assist. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via peterboardman@dunbarboardman.com  to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.
Photo credit - http://19cities.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/atlanta-visiting-city-center.html
Photo credit: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latin-america/medellins-comuna-13-shows-murals-ahead-world-urban-forum-n69986 
Photo credit: http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g297907-d1815413-i41536484-Farglory_Ocean_Park-Hualien.html
Photo credit: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/images/transport/metro/metro5-in-st-petersburg.jpg

Five of the world’s most Amazing Elevators

Last months post about the world’s highest outdoor elevator got us thinking about our top five of amazing elevator rides. What follows below is a short list of amazing elevator rides. The vertical transportation industry has come a along way since Elisha Otis’ free-fall safety demonstration in 1853 at the New York World's Fair. There are now some truly spectacular elevators all around the world. There are far too many breathtaking elevator rides in existence to be described in a single post but here are five of the world's most impressive elevator rides in no particular order.

1. Aquadom in Berlin, Germany

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AquaDom

Opened in 2004 this elevator ride takes its passengers through the centre of an 82 feet tall cylindrical aquarium that offers the visitors a panorama of undersea life. Fish in vibrant colours stare at the walls of the aquarium, just a few inches away from the visitors in the elevator. The ride gives an experience similar to floating in an undersea wonderland. It is located in the Radisson Blu Hotel’s lobby. It is part of the aquarium complex, Sea Life. There are over 100 varieties of the fish that total over 1500 in number.  

 2. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri

Image credit: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/missouri/the-gateway-arch 

Opened to the public in 1965 the arch has the distinction of being the tallest arch in the world. The 630 feet high monument is the tallest man-made monument in the United States. Each leg of the arch has a tram and each tram has eight compartments, with each compartment having seats for five passengers. The elevator ride takes 4 min to reach the top. Eero Saarinen designed the arch and added glass doors to the elevator. The glass doors reveal the true marvel of this complex steel structure. 

3. Skyview in Stockholm, Sweden

Photo credit: http://wearecunard.com/2013/03/cool-and-contemporary-stockholm/

It is often said that the Skyview ride offers the best view of the skyline of the city of Stockholm. Opened in February 2010 this elevator is on the outside of Ericsson Globe. Ericsson Globe is credited with being the biggest hemispherical building in the world. It has a diameter of 110 m and is 85 m high (279 feet). The elevators/gondolas run along the exterior of the spherical structure. These glass lifts take 20 min to reach the top and back and offer the visitors an evolving view of the skyline of Stockholm.

4. The Bailong Elevator in Zhangjiajie, China

Photo credit: http://planetoftravel.com/bailong-elevator/

Opened to the public in 2002 the subject of our last post is the highest and the heaviest outdoor elevator in the world. The elevator, which took three years to be completed, takes visitors to the observation deck that is 1070 feet above the ground. The ride offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding tree covered mountains. This glass elevator is built on the side of a huge cliff.

5. Taipei 101, Taiwan

Photo credit: http://homesthetics.net/taipei-101-tower-in-taiwan-by-c-y-lee-partners/

When it opened in 2004 this building held the record of being the tallest in the world before Burj Khalifa towers took away the crown six years later. In the year of its opening the double-deck elevators in this building set a world record, in being the fastest elevators in the world with top speed (ascending) of 55.2 feet per second or 60.6 km per hour. It takes the visitors to the observatory on the 89th floor in just 37 seconds.

Are you planning a vertical transportation project?  Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. We would be happy to discuss any such requirements and how we may be able to assist. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via peterboardman@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Double Deck Elevators: Where was the first one?

 Double deck lift within the Eiffel Tower

A Double-deck elevator is a type of elevator where two cabins are attached to each other. One In a typical example, one of the elevators cabins will stop at even floors and the other elevator cabin can stop at the odd floors. They are also useful for  for delivering high volumes of people to a Sky Lobby in super high rise buildings. Double-deck elevators save time and space in high-occupancy buildings by mounting one car upon anotherhaving two cars in the same vertical shaft. The efficiency of Double-deck elevators serving all floors, can be further enhanced by the use of a destination control system.

The first Double–deck elevator was installed in The Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1889. by The Otis Elevator Company.  Charles and Norton were carrying on the work of their father, Elisha.  The Eiffel Tower has double-deck elevators built into the legs of the tower, serving the ground level to the first and second levels. Even though the shaft runs diagonally upwards with the contour of the tower, both the upper and lower cars remain horizontally level. The offset distance of the two cars changes throughout the journey.

There are four elevator cars of the traditional design that run from the second level to the third level. The cars are connected to their opposite pairs (opposite in the elevator landing/hall) and use each other as the counterweight. As one car ascends from level 2, the other descends from level 3. The operations of these elevators are synchronized by a light signal in the car. 

Where are other examples of Double–deck elevators?

List of structures with double-deck passenger elevators:   

   

Dunbar and Boardman is the lift, escalator and access equipment consultancy. Do you have a current or planned project that includes Double-deck elevators? We would be happy to discuss any such requirements and how we may be able to assist. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via peterboardman@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Why use a consultancy for Façade Access and Building Maintenance Units?

 

Creating Façade Access systems and deploying the correct Building Maintenance Units (BMU) or Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) is specialised work that requires both project management experience and a detailed knowledge of the technology and technological advances in the industry. The requirements of each building will be different and very often are complex. This complexity is one of the reasons that companies around the world choose to work with a specialist consultancy for Façade Access & BMUs. The other major reasons are listed below.

Planning

The development of a Façade Access solution is a long term process and the building maintenance strategy will be ongoing over the life of the building. It is essential that a maintenance strategy is considered and incorporated into the initial building design and implemented during the construction phases. The maintenance programme and longevity of the equipment must be considered. A consultancy will be able to achieve all of this and enable the facility management team to use the maintenance equipment for a minimum of 25 years.

Efficiency

When creating a schedule of Façade Access and selecting the most suitable solution a key objective will be the need to optimise the usage of the access equipment, as well as the operability of the Façade Cleaning Equipment (FCE).  By choosing a consultancy to manage the process a company reduces the risk of making a poor choice, in addition the consultancy will carry professional indemnity insurance to give further peace of mind.

Bespoke Solutions

If a developer or client were to approach a manufacturer directly there is a real chance that they would be guided into the purchase of one of the manufacturer’s existing product solutions. An evaluation based on the commercial interests of the manufacturer would be undertaken; rather than the comprehensive and unfettered approach taken by a specialist consultancy. Using a consultancy ensures that the best solution will be sought and found.

Independence

A consultancy can set up and manage a formal tender process with 3 or 4 bidders and invite them to submit a tender for the project.  Following post tender evaluation the most appropriate solution and supplier can be chosen. The final decision and award of the contract will be based completely on merit.

Commercial Negotiations

Consultancies are aware of industry norms and charging rates and therefore have a stronger hand when it comes to negotiating commercial contracts. Using a consultancy could save you money in the short and long term. Naturally the possibility and scope of any saving can only be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Industry & Legislative Standards

A consultancy will be able to create façade-cleaning solutions that minimize the impact on building design and meet the highest safety according to EN standards. Furthermore they will be able to ensure that the equipment is provided within International Quality & Safety Standards and that health & safety requirements for the particular environment are met.

Dunbar and Boardman is a specialist consultancy that has provided global clients with bespoke solutions for façade access equipment and BMUs for over 30 years.

Do you have a current or planned project that would benefit from our expertise? We would be happy to discuss with you. Give us a call on T +44 (0) 20 7739 5093 or send us an email via peterboardman@dunbarboardman.com to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.