When it comes to industrial elevator design, the most underestimated yet important component is the elevator system. Don’t consider this as only a means of vertical transport; rather, it is an integral part of improving overall efficiency, functionality, safety and the building’s appearance. Choosing the right lift solution demands technical knowledge, user experience, compliance with safety measures and architectural vision.

Today, in this blog we will talk about 5 things you must consider while choosing any elevator for your commercial building design.

1.Purpose and Passenger Flow Drives Lift Selection

The first and foremost factor to consider during elevator designing are the building’s purpose and the quantification of passenger movement in the entire day. Traffic patterns differ for office complexes, hospitals, shopping malls and residential buildings. In industries, material flow is important, hence along with people the elevator must be capable enough to accommodating goods.

• Office buildings experience peak traffic during morning arrivals and evening exits.
• Industrial Lifts installed at retail spaces need to move effortlessly across multiple floors throughout the day.
• Hospitals elevators must be spacious enough to accommodate stretchers. These lifts demand high reliability with dual operation modes for both staff and patients.
• Industrial lift installations must be designed to carry the required loads safely and efficiently.

By conducting a thorough analysis of peak traffic periods and expected passengers, you can determine the type of elevator required. For example, in commercial offices, a standard passenger lift is enough to meet the demand, while manufacturing units will require freight lifts to meet the daily operations. In industries with inward material transportation and outward material dispatch, it is important to consider material flow. Crisscross handling of materials creates chaos. Planners should also consider how materials will be carried – if on pallets, then pallet size governs the lift cabin dimensions; if by forklift, then its dimensions and the load carried on a single pallet are important.

2.Code Compliance and Accessibility Are Non-Negotiable

Irrespective of the type of elevator design, it must comply with the local building rules and regulations. These rules will cover everything right from the door width to the floor leveling accuracy to fire safety measures and emergency communication systems.

Below are some of the common compliances for commercial buildings and industrial lifts

• Emergency communication systems for visual and voice signals.
• Load and speed limitations as per the building height and type.
• Industrial lifts in India should be IS compliant, whereas those in Europe must be EN-81 compliant.

Accessibility is a pivotal factor- in commercial buildings, passenger lifts must be spacious enough to accommodate wheelchairs, give audio announcements with easy-to-reach controls. Whereas, in hospitals require specialized medical-grade lifts with antibacterial materials, stretcher access and silent operation.

It is important to let your manufacturer know about your customized requirements to maintain compliance right from the blueprint all the way up to operations.

3.Different Lift Types Serve Different Building Needs

IEC LIFTS has various solutions for different needs of the industry – like food, Pharma, Engineering, Chemical industries (having presence of hazardous gases) and mining (having dusty environment) etc. It is important to choose the right technology for the lift- you must consider usage, maintenance preferences, building design and budget.

Below is a quick overview of various types of lift required in commercial settings:

• Passenger Lifts: These lifts have different capacities and speed and are ideal for office buildings, malls and hotels.
• Hydraulic Passenger Lifts: Ideal for retrofits and mid-rise buildings. These lifts don’t come with machine room above the shaft and hence are easy to install.
• Industrial goods and freight lifts: These are heavy lifts that carry inventory, equipment or pallets on multiple floors. These lifts are usually installed in warehouses, storage facilities and manufacturing units.
• Customized dumbwaiters: These are small lifts employed to transport documents, food items, and medical supplies between multiple floors. These lifts are usually installed in hotels, restaurants and sometimes in luxury villas.
• Hospital lifts: These are spacious lifts employed to accommodate medical staff, stretchers and patients. These are supposed to operate smoothly, maintain hygiene and have emergency backup systems.
• Scissor lifts and hydraulic platforms: These are used in industrial settings for maintenance purposes. These are installed externally or in utility areas to transport equipment vertically.
• Small lifts for villas: Many residential-grade lifts are designed for private homes or duplex apartments. These are space-saving lifts and are customized as per the interior design of the villa.

Partnering with a lift manufacturer that provides all such options which means you don’t have to adapt your building as per the lift- it is the lift that will adapt as per your building.

4.Energy Efficiency and Modern Tech Matter

Today’s commercial buildings demand sustainability- and elevators are being customized accordingly. Also, the modern elevators perform better than the lifts used few years ago.

Salient feature of modern elevators:

• LED lighting and smart controls to minimize the idle-time energy consumption.

Along with efficiency, there are some smart features that a modern elevator must include:

• Touchless operations through RFID cards or mobile apps.
• Predictive maintenance with remote diagnostics.
• Compatibility with building management systems (BMS).

By contacting a forward-thinking lift manufacturer, building manufacturers will remain assured that their elevator will align with their smart building features.

5.Customization Adds Value, Flexibility and Operational Safety in case of Industries

Each building is different and hence the elevator system should be customized and optimized to best fit the specific needs. Customization can be anything right from the finishes, cabin size, operating aspects and access control.

• Architectural flexibility: Customized lift shafts to match with floor plans.
• Brand identity: Cabin designs as per company’s logo, particular color palettes or interior design.
• Usage-specific features: Robust and spacious cabins for goods lift, anti-bacterial buttons for hospital lifts and silent motors for luxury apartments.

Conclusion

It is important to choose a knowledgeable partner for supply of your lifts. This is because, minimal lift downtime is directly associated with the efficiency of any commercial establishment.

Designing a commercial elevator is not only about thinking passenger’s vertical movement- it should be aligned to improve their experience, promising safety and following the regulatory compliance with architectural goals. Right from high-rise office towers to industrial warehouses and boutique hotels, lifts are an indispensable assets that should be manufactured with proper planning, to meet specific requirements of clients.

Work only with elevator manufacturers with 10+ years of experience in designing, installing and commissioning elevators will ensure that the vertical transportation of your building is carefully handled.

Are you an architecture, developer or facility manager? You must consider these five factors in order to be successful in your next project. This way you can meet compliance and deliver high-quality elevators that will work for years to come.

You should be all set to initiate your industrial lift project! Now, get going with these five considerations. Get in touch with us at https://www.ieclifts.com/contact-us/