Mechanical Elevator Design

[Kristy Suzuki]

Enlightenedengineering. Easy to order. Accelerated lead times. Simple to install and a pleasure to design. Its features are thoughtful of the needs of architects, general contractors and passengers alike.

Understated elegance. Refined without being pretentious. Stylish without being trendy. Energy efficient without being mundane. The Schindler 3300 seamlessly integrates Italian design with precision Swiss engineering.

In architecture, in engineering, in everyday life, there is a global movement towards sustainability. At Schindler, we take our environmental impact seriously. Schindler 3300 is the result of both our technological and environmental efforts, resulting in more eco-friendly features than one might have thought possible, making it up to 60% more efficient than hydraulic elevators. Schindler is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and supports the LEED Green Building Rating System. Schindler 3300 is a prime example of our continuing commitment to improving mobility while preserving resources.

The Osawatomie Public Library in Osawatomie, Kansas occupies a small two-story building. But until recently, only the ground floor offered usable space (about 3,600 square feet). The basement was virtually inaccessible to library members who were disabled or to parents accompanied by children in strollers, because it was too difficult to navigate down the flight of steps.

When Osawatomie town officials decided it was time to renovate the library, they determined that an elevator would be in order. They needed a space-saving, quiet, cost-effective elevator. The Schindler 3300 delivered all this, and more.

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About the Authors

Kelley Cramm, P.E., is an associate and mechanical technical manager, and Brad Chambon, P.E., is a mechanical technical manager at Henderson Engineers in Lenexa, Kan.

You should always examine the specific code that applies to your project to determine if you are required to provide hoistway venting. Some local municipalities may be stricter than the IBC and may require hoistway venting with no exceptions. Many jurisdictions are still under the 2012 codes, which may require hoistway venting.

The purpose of hoistway venting is to allow smoke and hot gases to vent out of the elevator hoistway to the outside in the event of a fire. Contrary to popular belief, hoistway venting is not to allow the air to push and pull out of the hoistway due to piston effects so the elevator can operate correctly. If this were the case, the IBC would not allow exceptions. Note that hoistway venting requirements apply to traditional elevators with machine rooms and to machine room-less elevators.

Adoption of the 2010 Standards also establishes a revised reference point for Title II entities that choose to make structural changes to existing facilities to meet their program accessibility requirements; and it establishes a similar reference for Title III entities undertaking readily achievable barrier removal.

State and local government facilities must follow the requirements of the 2010 Standards, including both the Title II regulations at 28 CFR 35.151; and the 2004 ADAAG at 36 CFR part 1191, appendices B and D.

If the start date for construction is on or after March 15, 2012, all newly constructed or altered State and local government facilities must comply with the 2010 Standards. Before that date, the 1991 Standards (without the elevator exemption), the UFAS, or the 2010 Standards may be used for such projects when the start of construction commences on or after September 15, 2010.

(1) Each facility or part of a facility constructed by, on behalf of, or for the use of a public entity shall be designed and constructed in such manner that the facility or part of the facility is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, if the construction was commenced after January 26, 1992.

(i) Full compliance with the requirements of this section is not required where a public entity can demonstrate that it is structurally impracticable to meet the requirements. Full compliance will be considered structurally impracticable only in those rare circumstances when the unique characteristics of terrain prevent the incorporation of accessibility features.

(ii) If full compliance with this section would be structurally impracticable, compliance with this section is required to the extent that it is not structurally impracticable. In that case, any portion of the facility that can be made accessible shall be made accessible to the extent that it is not structurally impracticable.

(iii) If providing accessibility in conformance with this section to individuals with certain disabilities (e.g., those who use wheelchairs) would be structurally impracticable, accessibility shall nonetheless be ensured to persons with other types of disabilities, (e.g., those who use crutches or who have sight, hearing, or mental impairments) in accordance with this section.

(1) Each facility or part of a facility altered by, on behalf of, or for the use of a public entity in a manner that affects or could affect the usability of the facility or part of the facility shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be altered in such manner that the altered portion of the facility is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, if the alteration was commenced after January 26, 1992.

(ii) If it is not feasible to provide physical access to an historic property in a manner that will not threaten or destroy the historic significance of the building or facility, alternative methods of access shall be provided pursuant to the requirements of 35.150.

(4) Path of travel. An alteration that affects or could affect the usability of or access to an area of a facility that contains a primary function shall be made so as to ensure that, to the maximum extent feasible, the path of travel to the altered area and the restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs, unless the cost and scope of such alterations is disproportionate to the cost of the overall alteration.

(A) Mechanical rooms, boiler rooms, supply storage rooms, employee lounges or locker rooms, janitorial closets, entrances, and corridors are not areas containing a primary function. Restrooms are not areas containing a primary function unless the provision of restrooms is a primary purpose of the area, e.g., in highway rest stops.

(B) For the purposes of this section, alterations to windows, hardware, controls, electrical outlets, and signage shall not be deemed to be alterations that affect the usability of or access to an area containing a primary function.

(A) An accessible path of travel may consist of walks and sidewalks, curb ramps and other interior or exterior pedestrian ramps; clear floor paths through lobbies, corridors, rooms, and other improved areas; parking access aisles; elevators and lifts; or a combination of these elements.

(C) Safe harbor. If a public entity has constructed or altered required elements of a path of travel in accordance with the specifications in either the 1991 Standards or the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards before March 15, 2012, the public entity is not required to retrofit such elements to reflect incremental changes in the 2010 Standards solely because of an alteration to a primary function area served by that path of travel.

(A) Alterations made to provide an accessible path of travel to the altered area will be deemed disproportionate to the overall alteration when the cost exceeds 20 % of the cost of the alteration to the primary function area.

(A) When the cost of alterations necessary to make the path of travel to the altered area fully accessible is disproportionate to the cost of the overall alteration, the path of travel shall be made accessible to the extent that it can be made accessible without incurring disproportionate costs.

(A) The obligation to provide an accessible path of travel may not be evaded by performing a series of small alterations to the area served by a single path of travel if those alterations could have been performed as a single undertaking.

(1) If an area containing a primary function has been altered without providing an accessible path of travel to that area, and subsequent alterations of that area, or a different area on the same path of travel, are undertaken within three years of the original alteration, the total cost of alterations to the primary function areas on that path of travel during the preceding three-year period shall be considered in determining whether the cost of making that path of travel accessible is disproportionate.

(2) Only alterations undertaken on or after March 15, 2011, shall be considered in determining if the cost of providing an accessible path of travel is disproportionate to the overall cost of the alterations.

(1) If physical construction or alterations commence after July 26, 1992, but prior to the September 15, 2010, then new construction and alterations subject to this section must comply with either the UFAS or the 1991 Standards except that the elevator exemption contained at section 4.1.3(5) and section 4.1.6(1)(k) of the 1991 Standards shall not apply. Departures from particular requirements of either standard by the use of other methods shall be permitted when it is clearly evident that equivalent access to the facility or part of the facility is thereby provided.

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