In a hundred and fifty years ago, cities seemed significantly different compared to today. Often, the urban landscape was flat and uniformly shaped. The heights of residential and commercial structures were rarely as tall as flagpoles. However, today, cities are growing vertically. But what will the future hold? One possible answer is provided by the report "Elevator Technology Improvements: A Snapshot Kheir", conducted by the Department of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago.

Skyscrapers

Population growth, rapid urban regeneration, rising land prices, active congestion, ego, and globalization are driving upwards. Indeed, the race to build the tallest skyscraper in the world seems to continue forever, reaching ever-impressive heights.

At the beginning of the new millennium, in 1998, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, built the Petronas Towers of 452 m, snatching the title of the tallest building in the world from the Sears Tower of 442 m (renamed the Willis Tower) built in 1973 in Chicago. In 2004, Taipei, Taiwan, raised Taipei 101 to 508 m.

In 2010, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, built the Burj Khalifa at 828 m, the tallest in the world. As such, in just 12 years, the height of the tallest buildings almost doubled.

In addition to globalization and land prices, rapid urban population growth forces cities to build upwards. The United Nations estimates that by 2050, 70% of the world's population, approximately 9.7 billion people, will live in urban areas, compared to 51% in 2010. Such growth implies adding nearly a quarter of a million urban residents globally every week.

Expansion and its Crises

To expand cities horizontally to cope with urban population growth, we will face expansion issues. Expansion has caused numerous economic, social, and environmental crises and is an unsustainable way of growth. After learning the hard lessons of urban sprawl diseases, planners have returned to the vertical and compact model.

As such, since the beginning of the century, many cities have erected tall buildings worldwide. Tall buildings consume more energy than low-rise buildings for many reasons, including the use of vertical transportation.

Elevators use between 5 and 15% of a high-rise building's power, so efforts to reduce their energy consumption are worthwhile. Additionally, elevators occupy a significant valuable space in a skyscraper. Sometimes, they can occupy 25-40% of floor plans.

Of course, this figure includes all elevators (e.g., passenger, freight, emergency, and shuttle). Therefore, reducing the required space and the number of shafts is a sought-after goal in elevator design.

Elevator Systems

Like cars and rail transport, elevators use increasingly advanced technologies, pushing manufacturers to improve elevator speed and safety. The development of elevator speed has been astonishing. Comparing the speed of the first passenger elevators (12 m per minute) with that of the fastest elevators in the world (1200 m per minute) located at the CTF Financial Center in Guangzhou, China, speed has increased a hundredfold.

To improve passenger flow, destination dispatch systems are the most efficient. When passengers click on the buttons corresponding to their desired floors, the system directs them to the elevators with the shortest travel times. Improved routing will lead to more efficient passenger transfer, especially during peak traffic times in hotels, residences, and offices.

Additionally, new systems allow building managers to schedule elevators to most efficiently match passenger requirements throughout the week, day, night, and holidays. As time goes on, elevators become increasingly smarter and safer.

Modern elevators offer smooth and comfortable rides for passengers while covering longer distances, reducing the need to use transfers or lobbies. They are also energy-efficient, and some produce energy, such as regenerative drive.

Improving Connectivity

New design promises to make elevators move not only up and down but also sideways and diagonally. Such innovative design will revolutionize the architecture and appearance of tall buildings. It will allow buildings to achieve excellent connectivity and enhance people flow.

However, building elevators are not exempt from the harsh reality that everything wears out eventually and needs to be replaced. Even with routine maintenance, old equipment always requires upgrades. Elevator modernization is a feasible way to increase the value and attractiveness of a tall building.

Smart elevator systems offer increased travel comfort and adaptability to the changing requirements of the building, thus improving performance. Internet-connected elevators represent the cutting edge of elevator maintenance. This technology informs building managers in real-time when a problem begins to develop. This is intended to reduce maintenance costs and save time.

Sensors gather data about variables such as usage, which can affect component deterioration. The data is sent to a cloud-based platform for processing and analysis, allowing building managers to apply proactive measures, preventing issues from arising.

Notes on the History of Elevators

People have used hoists for vertical transport since the third century BC. Ancient Greeks are said to have invented elevators using hoists and pulleys. However, modern elevators, like those we know today, were developed in the 1800s.

In the 1850s, elevator design shifted from freight transport to passenger transport, and the first elevator safety devices were invented in 1852. The development of safety devices paved the way for the advancement of passenger elevators.

In 1857, the first passenger elevator was built. This elevator was steam-powered and moved at a speed of 12 m per minute. The early passenger elevators were considered more of a novelty and a luxury experience than a mode of transportation. Since tall buildings were not yet constructed, upper floors had lower rents due to the necessity of climbing stairs to access these units, a stark contrast to today's high-priced penthouse units.

In the 1870s, elevators evolved from a novelty experience reserved for a select few to a transportation staple. As buildings became increasingly taller, increased elevator speed became the driving force behind elevator innovation.

The first office building equipped with an elevator was constructed in downtown Manhattan in 1870, marking the beginning of the widespread and practical history of elevators. As mentioned, elevators were initially steam-powered. However, as they were installed in office buildings and speed became a priority, they gradually evolved to hydraulic power.

During this time, the industry standard of a 30-second or less wait time was established and is still the industry standard today.

Safety and speed

Elevator safety and speed advanced even further when electricity became the primary power source for elevators. Elevator shafts became an integral part of architectural design in the 1880s as buildings rose in height.

Therefore, in 1880, the first electric elevator was built, and in 1887, automatic doors were produced that locked the vehicle at the shaft, making elevators a safer mode of transportation for passengers. In a commercial building in 1889, the first successful electric elevator was installed.

In 1902, the Otis Elevator Company created the traction electric elevator, a significant discovery. This innovation ingeniously integrated the electrical and mechanical subsystems of an elevator. In 1904, the first elevators of this type were installed in a commercial building in New York City.

Vertical transportation became safer and more convenient than ever as elevators evolved and expanded to include more advanced safety and efficiency features.

What will be?

With conventional elevators, a single car travels strictly up and down using cables. In a system of elevators with multiple moving cars, however

, numerous cars (each equipped with a rotating magnetic network propulsion wheel) move in a circular motion within the range of two traditional elevator shafts. This system is like a Ferris wheel, except each car has its motor instead of counterweights.

Steel cables drive its prototype for multi-car rotary elevators. This method attaches two cars to two circulating steel cables to form a unit. The support rail system mounted along the entire elevator shaft guides the movement of the cars and prevents lateral swaying.

Hitachi has tested this multi-car rotary elevator system using a one-tenth scale replica. The multi-car rotary elevator is expected to increase capacity, reduce the number of shafts required, and shorten waiting times. Unfortunately, existing prototypes require additional safety enhancements to meet international standards.

Multi-directional elevators

Conventional elevators move a cabin strictly up and down using cables. Instead, the MULTI concept manages elevators more like a subway system. Cabins move horizontally, vertically, forward, and backward. Each system comprises multiple cabins, each powered by a linear induction motor.

Inspired by the TWIN system, in 2017, Thyssen Krupp produced the first ropeless multi-car elevator system. Instead of ropes, a motor system pushes each car around a looped shaft. This system is no longer constrained by height due to the lack of ropes required for car movement.

As a result, MULTI offers a method to increase elevator height beyond the 650 m limit of KONE's steel cable. Since MULTI uses many vehicles, it guarantees shorter waiting times. Ultimately, it promises to reduce energy consumption by incorporating a smart device that reduces peak power demand by up to 60 percent, lowering the carbon footprint of the entire structure.

Virtual Reality

The use of virtual reality headsets could revolutionize how elevator technicians perform their tasks. VR headsets allow them to diagnose elevator issues without risking their lives by having to climb several floors or hang from an elevator shaft.

By putting on the goggles and using hand gestures, technicians can examine the entire motor and its components in detail. The maintenance team can also extend vision to perform a "virtual layout" to determine which parts need repair or replacement.

Overall, with continuous technological advancements, elevators will be able to meet the requirements of buildings with extreme heights. Digital innovations will support urbanization in the near future, facilitating travelers' journeys through buildings conveniently and safely.

Sustained collaboration between engineers, architects, computer scientists, elevator manufacturers, and builders can lead to cost-effective solutions that enhance performance and promote efficiency. The following technologies will certainly offer essential aspects.

A greener future

The vertical mobility effort is motivated by embracing environmental consciousness, reducing negative environmental impact, and saving energy. For example, the regenerative drive unit is a technology that helps minimize energy consumption by collecting energy that would otherwise be lost and sending it back to the building's power system.

Additionally, buildings implement LED lighting solutions and use standby modes in elevators to reduce energy consumption. The use of destination dispatch software helps reduce the number of stops required, which in turn saves energy.

Moreover, energy consumption is significantly reduced compared to older elevator control systems due to the use of microprocessor-based commands in modern elevator systems. Finally, the market currently offers elevators that have machines that are not only more compact but also more robust. This helps conserve space and energy. The main features of green elevators include:

- Machine-Room-Less (MRL) system;

- Gearless traction motor;

- Propulsion systems that regenerate energy;

- Precision computerized traffic control that optimizes the performance of an elevator group and decreases light-load trips;

- Cabin sensors and software that put the elevator in rest mode when not in use, turning off music, video, lighting, and ventilation;

- Destination dispatch control software to enhance passenger traffic flow (see next section). (Photo: Freepik)