Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa April 2015 | Page 49

IMPROVING

Going Up

Maximising return on investment
on elevators and escalators
BY MONIQUE TERRAZAS

A

s development land in every sector of
commercial property becomes scarcer and
more expensive, building up is often the only
option. Building up requires an efficient means of
moving tenants, visitors and goods up and down the
various levels of the building, quickly and safely.
Elevators and escalators are well-established
solutions, but as with all aspects of commercial buildings,
it is crucial that these systems add to – not detract from
– occupant satisfaction, safety and comfort, and that
the operational costs are kept in check to increase the
return on the substantial investment required to install
elevators and escalators.
Occupant satisfaction
When elevators and escalators work, and work well,
transporting people to their destinations quickly,
smoothly, safely and efficiently, they can spend more
time working and shopping unperturbed. Faulty
mobility systems create a safety risk as well as traffic
bottlenecks, which wastes time, reduces productivity
and results in frustrated workers and shoppers.
Aggravated shoppers spend less and, faced with an
ever-increasing number of shopping malls to choose
from, and are less likely to return.
As such, the quality of the elevators and escalators
can directly impact visitor and worker satisfaction,
undoubtedly a factor that will influence tenants’
decisions regarding their lease renewals.
Installation and upgrades
Most savvy facility executives know how to quantify
the savings and the return on the investment achievable
with technology upgrades and modernisation. Lease
renewals are one of t