Supertall Elevator Maintenance 2. Journal Paper Ctbuh.Org/Papers

ctbuh.org/papers Title: Supertall Elevator Maintenance Author: Rony Eappen, Vertical Transportation Engineer, D2E Subject: MEP Keywords: Building Management Vertical Transportation Virtual Reality Publication Date: 2017 Original Publication: CTBUH Journal 2017 Issue II Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished © Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat / Rony Eappen Vertical Transportation Elevator Maintenance Considerations For Supertall Buildings Abstract The type and quality of elevator maintenance should be considered at the design stage to ensure the longevity and reliability of the elevators proposed. The implications of getting this wrong will have a disproportionately adverse effect on the functioning of supertall buildings (compared to those of a lesser height). This paper addresses how that risk can be minimized. The long-term reliability of Rony Eappen vertical transportation has an impact on design and building users, and early awareness of this in the design process can greatly assist the operation of a tall Author building throughout its lifecycle. Rony Eappen, Vertical Transportation Engineer D2E International VT Consultants Ltd. 7 Denbigh Mews Keywords: Vertical Transportation, Building Management, Virtual Reality London SW1V 2HQ United Kingdom t: +44 207 233 9355 Introduction Traditionally, the travel range of elevators, e: [email protected] and the necessity to include several shafts to www.d2e.com At present, there are 1,184 buildings over 200 house elevators serving several functions Rony Eappen meters tall around the world. Of these, 114 (local, express, hotel, residence, office, etc.), Rony joined D2E in 2010. For the first five years at are 300 meters or higher, classified as have been among the primary limiters of D2E, Rony was involved in account management for several prestigious tall buildings in London, “supertalls.” Additionally, there are 327 height. In reaction to this demand, elevator namely Heron Tower, 20 Fenchurch Street (the supertall buildings either under construction manufacturers have developed products Walkie Talkie building), and 122 Leadenhall Street (the Cheesegrater). During this time, he has gained or proposed for construction in the next six that travel faster, use fewer or lighter valuable experience on building operations and years (CTBUH Skyscraper Center 2017 – see materials, manage journeys more efficiently, their interaction with elevators and escalators. He has carried this into his role within the design team, Figure 1). The race to build tall is continuing, and are proportionally more power-efficient where he can identify potential operational issues and, as the technology for building tall than in the past. Despite the obvious during the feasibility of new building developments. At D2E, Rony’s experience lies within high-rise improves, design teams will likely try to go improvements, the introduction of these building maintenance and post-construction even higher. technologies nevertheless poses several mobilization of major projects. questions regarding the approach to the after-care of the installed product. Namely, how does one undertake the maintenance of these super high-tech elevators? Does the local maintenance provider have the relevant technical skills to efficiently maintain the elevator in a supertall building? Does the local supply chain have sufficient spare parts if there are only a limited number of supertall buildings in the region that utilize or share similar elevator technology? What is the replacement or modernization strategy at the end of the elevator’s serviceable life? It is an interesting fact that, apart from the World Trade Center in 2001, no building over 200 meters has ever been demolished (CTBUH Skyscraper Center 2017). The cost of getting an elevator design wrong could be catastrophic. Let us consider a scenario: If a train line has a breakdown, inevitably there will be people Figure 1. CTBUH’s classification of supertall and megatall buildings. Source: CTBUH 28 | Vertical Transportation CTBUH Journal | 2017 Issue II queuing and overcrowding at the local hub or architects, developers, and various design To further understand the necessity of a station platform. This can be an unpleasant consultants, it is apparent that discussion of good supertall building elevator and chaotic passenger experience. Likewise, elevator maintenance is often limited to maintenance strategy, it is important to in an elevator lobby, when one of the passing comments in early meetings. The understand how it differs from maintenance elevators breaks down, or if elevators are author’s research with developers indicates this in a more typical building. mis-timed due to poor design, queuing and group of people believes it is the responsibility overcrowding happen quickly (see Figure 2). of the elevator consultant and the elevator Practitioners already accept that if careful specialist to ensure that a robust elevator What is Supertall Elevator Maintenance? design consideration is not given to the maintenance strategy is considered at the elevator core design, this would be disastrous design stage. A developer is interested in the Elevator maintenance is the process of for a supertall building, as it is virtually capital sum and the return on investment, with ensuring that the elevator is preserved to last impossible to retroactively fix any potential minimum impact to the core. An architect is in line with the Original Equipment shortcomings. But there should also be equal like a director of a film, who does not need to Manufacturer’s (OEM’s) recommendation, emphasis on maintenance in the early design know every detail of special equipment, but typically 20–25 years, and to ensure that high stage of a supertall building, with input from does need to be aware of how to bring these standards of safety are maintained for both all relevant specialist stakeholders. An different elements together and coordinate the users and the maintenance team. optimized maintenance strategy needs to be them, to ensure that an efficient core is the incorporated into the elevator design strategy, result. Thus, the elevator consultant and In a typical multi-story building, the standard as the impact of getting the strategy wrong elevator specialist are typically the parties who maintenance regime would feature an will cause an adverse effect in the operation of consider the elevator maintenance strategy. assigned technician covering the route and the supertall building at a later stage. It should However, in the author’s research, these call-out schedule. However, in a supertall be noted that component quality is also a key stakeholders have admitted there is little building, the requirement is complex, as the factor in poor elevator design and future discussion and sharing of information at the technology involved is more advanced. maintainability; however, for the sake of design stage of the process. For more than a Double-deck elevators, two independent brevity, this article does not elaborate on the decade, elevator manufacturers have invested elevators operating in a single shaft, complex subject, as it is worthy of its own separate their research and development budgets dispatching techniques, high-speed motor analysis. mainly in the development of faster elevators, the use of lighter materials to travel higher, and on specialized dispatching algorithms that Background speed lobby-to-destination travel times. However, these technology advancements are The key stakeholders who have direct influence based on an ideal scenario with 100% elevator over the elevator design at an early stage are the availability. If elevator availability drops, these developer, the architects, the elevator technologies become ineffective, thus consultant, and the elevator manufacturers (see emphasizing the need to maintain the elevator Figure 3). From observing discussions between system with a robust maintenance strategy. Figure 2. Elevator lobby overcrowding. © Ian Smith Figure 3. Stakeholders of a supertall building. CTBUH Journal | 2017 Issue II Vertical Transportation | 29 machinery, complex drive systems, security maintenance is reduced equipment elevators. If, in a group of three, the middle barriers, and customer interaction systems like life-span (see Figure 4). elevator in a shaft requires maintenance, touch screens are now common features in then it is six elevators out of service in a supertalls. Consequently, an elevator In shorter multi-story buildings, alternative group. Can a supertall building cope with six technician who is well-versed in mechanical lifting arrangements can be considered, such cabins out of service? In some major and electrical skills must also master various as an external hoist or a large crane; however, buildings, out-of-hours maintenance can be other fields (e.g., networks, IT, and software/ it is impractical to consider these lifting considered, but in certain regions this can be programming skills) to ensure the elevator arrangements in a supertall building, cost-prohibitive. This highlights a gap system is maintained to a high standard. especially if it involves re-routing traffic or between the design team’s conception of Typically, in a supertall building, resident closing a major street for a long period of the project and the building’s actual engineers are employed as the building time. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the operation (see Figure

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