INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
Figure 6 : ThyssenKrupp is working on a “ multi ” system , a rope-free elevator system that applies Electromagnetic Levitation Technology on the vertical plane . ( Source : http :// www . ThyssenKrupp . com ).
elevator and escalator footprints can occupy up to 40 % of a building ’ s floor ( Figure 6 ).
Development of Elevator Technology New elevators feature several advanced technologies designed to improve ride quality , safety and logistics . A closer look at these advances reveals how far elevator technology has advanced since the first Otis passenger elevator lifted shoppers from the ground floor of a New York City department store in 1857 ( Figure 7 ).
Indeed , over the past 150 years , elevators have witnessed outstanding technological leaps . Steam-powered elevators were introduced in the 1850s . An important development in elevators was the introduction of a safety device , elevator brakes , by Elisha Otis , which were demonstrated at the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York in 1854 . This safety feature was a defining moment in elevator development and paved the way for the proliferation of skyscrapers . Thirteen years later , Elisha ’ s sons went on to found Otis Brothers and Company in Yonkers , NY , USA , eventually to achieve the mass production of elevators . In the 1870s , the hydraulic elevator replaced the steam power elevator . Later , the electric elevator evolved rapidly , allowing the travel of greater distances and hence allowing the construction of taller structures . By 1903 , advancement in electric elevators made the construction of one hundred-plus-storey buildings to become possible . Other notable technological advancements include the introduction of push-button controls and signal systems , safety measures , and the replacement of manual rope-driven switching and braking with electromagnet technology [ 17 ].
The future of elevators is sky-high . The simultaneous demand for more space and the lack of developable land in modern cities means that we will be building up more often , and cutting-edge elevator technology will play a critical role in urban development . For example , in China , where an extraordinary economic boom has led to unprecedented urbanisation , more than 700,000 lifts are being installed a year . This is as many elevators as exist in the entire German market [ 57 ]. Meanwhile , skyrocketing land values in many cities , for example , London and New York , have led to the development of more towers . In London , where the population is expected to grow by one million people over the next decade , 135 new towers are currently under construction , with more in the pipeline , according to a 2014 CBRE report .
By 2030 , nearly 70 % of the world ’ s population will be living in cities , and there won ’ t be enough space , even in the outskirts . To accommodate all of the urban population , buildings will continue to grow taller [ 57 ]. For example , the New York City plans to build several ultra-tall buildings — projects include the Nordstrom Tower ( 547m ; 1795 ft ), 432 Park Avenue ( 426 m ; 1,396 ft ), 111 West 57th Street ( 435m ; 1,428 ft ), the centrepiece skyscraper of Hudson Yards in Midtown West ( 408m ; 1,337 ft ) and One Vanderbilt ( 461m ; 1,514 ft ) near Times Square . Massive urbanisation forces will continue to push elevator companies to further innovate and to move genius concepts from paper to reality . The results will be improved speed , capacity , control , energy efficiency , comfort and safety ; features that will enhance the sustainability of future high-rise developments [ 58 ].
24 VOL 94 APRIL-JUNE 2023