SUSTAINABILITY THE ONLY WAY IS UP
In this article, Richard Clarke, Director of Schindler UK, helps facilities managers to gain a better understanding of key considerations to improve the energy efficiency of new lift installations.
Buildings account for 40% of carbon emissions worldwide and this is principally from the ‘developed’ world and the production, construction, operation and dismantling of buildings. Around 80% of the energy demand is used during the operation of a building, rather than in its construction – and when you consider that the life of a building is typically between 50 and 100 years, it is easy to see why it is so critical to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings.
Legislation is continually driving building owners and facilities managers to adopt a more sustainable approach as well as the key requirement to lower running costs.
When designing for sustainability, the most easily understood objective is to reduce and conserve the energy consumed in a building, which has a direct technological response.
WHY ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS GROWING IN
IMPORTANCE The amount of energy used for the daily operation of a lift system can have a significant impact on the energy efficiency of a building, making the specification of these products a vitally important issue.
A typical lift system will use 5-15% of the total energy demand of a high rise office scheme – and 2-7% in a multi-storey residential building.
HOW LIFT SYSTEMS
HAVE EVOLVED Older lift systems – and there are many still in use today, have a detrimental impact on the environment:
• Oil is used for the drive systems, which has to be disposed of
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and can leak or cause underground contamination
• Noise levels are around 65dB
• Detergents need to be used to reduce odour from the mechanisms
• Power consumption is around 6.5mWh/kgm
• Performance is restricted to 18m, 0.63m/s and 30 starts per hour.
• These geared machines need plant rooms, which take up additional space in a building. Excess energy is actually burnt off using dynamic braking resistors. Older systems use additional materials and components and require oil for the gear box.
THE NEXT GENERATION The next generation of lift systems
uses gearless technology and clean drive systems. These lift solutions feature:
• Flexible traction media which needs a smaller shaft diameter and a more compact motor, saving valuable space in each building and removing the need for machine rooms
• No need for oil lubrication
• Direct power transfer to avoid loss of power and reduce energy consumption
• A frequency convertor equipped with a standby power mode
• A stable start without high peak current, to reach low energy consumption more quickly
• A more lightweight system and drive technology, which uses up to 30% less travel energy
• A silent ride that reduces noise pollution
• Excess clean energy from the regenerative drive system can be fed back into the electricity grid
without causing interference to the lift equipment.
Sustainable lift systems should ~also offer:
• Energy-efficient lighting
• Compact, durable design of the whole lift system which optimises material usage and can be almost 100% recyclable
• Car panel and floor indicators that use low power LEDs
• Multi-bus control architecture to reduce cabling, material and waste
• Smart operation for more efficient passenger transportation
• Central guiding system which reduces mechanical friction and energy consumption
• Eco-effective design which allows for more space in the same shaft
• Lead-free counterweight.
BREEAM CREDITS THROUGH DESIGN BREEAM is the most widely-used
environmental assessment method for buildings worldwide and it sets the standard for sustainable design. It has also become the most accepted measure for assessing a building’s environmental performance.
Two BREEAM credits are available for the installation of energy-efficient lift systems:
The first as part of the lift specification process, we would always recommend running a traffic simulation programme to allow the precise usage requirements to be ascertained prior to manufacture. The lift specialist’s experience can then be used to add value to the project and the latest advancements and innovations in lift technology
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