1. COSTS
65www.irishconstruction.com64 Irish Construction Industry Magazine
CCoommmmeerrcciiaall II CCiivviill II SSeerrvviicceess
Costs can vary widely for different solutions but
the key is to strike a balance between the value of
floor area occupied and the system’s performance
criteria, writes DDaavviidd HHuugghheess aatt DDaavviiss LLaannggddoonn
L
andings and lift lobbies are often a focal
point of a building's design, required to
emphasise its communication routes.
Planning for vertical transportation is also a key
engineering design issue and certain decisions
need to be taken early in the design process.
Costs of different solutions can vary widely, and
it is important to strike a balance between capi-
tal, value of the floor area to be occupied by the
lift shafts and lobbies, and performance criteria
such as waiting times.
The lift and escalator industry, in common
with many other industries is constantly refining
its product ranges in response to advances in
technology, the demand of its customers,
changes in regulations governing the industry
both in Ireland and abroad, and to gain a tech-
nological edge over competitors. The past 10
years have seen significant developments with
the industry. There are currently two main types
of lift drive system available – electric traction
drive and hydraulic drive. The use of the latter is
in decline with the advances that have been
made in traction drive in the last few years. A
number of factors should be considered when
evaluating which is the more suitable option for
a particular project. The most important vari-
ables to consider are the number of people to be
transported, desired passenger waiting times and
frequency of use.
ELECTRICAL TRACTION LIFTS
Modern traction drive lifts provide high per-
formance without the need for frequent mainte-
nance such as lubrication and adjustment. They
may be categorised as follows:
Machine room-less
Most modern lifts are arranged with the drive
motor mounted within the shaft and the con-
trols housed in a compact panel adjacent to a
door, thereby removing the need for a separate
machine room. MRL units now dominate the
low and medium-rise passenger lift market and
this trend is set to continue as designers recog-
nise the following performance advantages:
I Passenger comfort and accurate landing
levelling – especially with regard to the
needs of people with limited mobility and
recommendations from Part M of the
Building Regulations;
I Energy usage and whole life costs – where
traction drives are superior, not least because
of the energy-saving advantage resulting
from the counterweight;
I Flexibility in car dimensions, maximising the
utilisation of the shaft resulting in the
capacity to carry larger volumes;
I Manufacturers continually expanding the
capabilities of these units;
I The MRL may have some operational disad
vantage with regard to ease of access for
maintenance but this is considered to be
outweighed by its advantages.
With machine room
For projects with more exacting performance cri-
teria in terms of travel height and speed, there is
no alternative to having a machine room, which
may be arranged above, below, or, exceptionally,
to one side of the lift shaft.
Gearless technology
Gearless technology was previously used primari-
ly in high-rise lift installations that require
greater travel speeds with medium passenger
loads but is now used for most installations.
Geared traction systems were historically used in
some mid-applications with high-rated loads and
lower speeds but are not used to any great extent
today.
Variable voltage frequency
Variable voltage frequency (VVF) controllers
provide smooth acceleration and braking of the
lift car (thus improving passenger ride comfort
while enabling quick and efficient travel between
destinations), together with precise car levelling
at floors.
HYDRAULIC LIFTS
The use of hydraulic lift technology is in
decline. It is optimised for low rise, low-usage
installations where moderate car speed is accept-
able. This is normally used on building applica-
tions with heavy loads, including freight, goods
or lift application (i.e. vehicle lifts). The direct
acting system normally requires a borehole to
accommodate the hydraulic ram which is fixed
to the underside of the lift car. For “indirect act-
ing” hydraulic systems, the cylinders and pistons
are arranged vertically and a remote control cen-
tre can respond immediately and proactively to
any incidents or faults.
Innovation for tall buildings
A recent breakthrough development in technolo-
gy is the concept of two lift cars running inde-
pendently in a single shaft. This simple concept,
called TWIN, offers significant space-saving
advantages inside a building by eliminating one
lift shaft while providing increased passenger-
handling capacity. Coupled with hall-call desti-
nation control (which allows passengers to select
their destination floor before entering the lift),
TWIN technology challenges conventional traf-
fic analysis constraints – offering the opportunity
to increase the lifting capacity in previously
“under-lifted” buildings as occupancy levels are
increased – in a refurbished office design or
change of use, for example. The TWIN concept
is currently available from only one manufactur-
er, and has not yet been applied to a project in
Ireland.
The “double deck” concept, which is better
established than the TWIN system, also makes
very efficient use of hoist way space. This con-
sists of two lift cars, powered by a single electric
traction drive, which move together, serving odd
and even floors simultaneously. Where this type
of lift is used, special arrangements must be
incorporated within the building to route pas-
sengers to the lift car that will serve their desti-
nation – these could include stairs or escalators
and the building entrance hall. Similarly, the
control system needs to prevent time wasted dur-
ing off-peak journeys by matching destination
floors to car stop commands. The rule of thumb
for double deck to operate efficiently is a zone of
around 15 to 18 levels for each group though
this is wholly dependent on the building layout.
Group control
Many of the major manufacturers have devel-
oped hall-call destination control systems. Each
request is analysed by the control system and the
passenger is assigned to the lift that will result in
the quickest journey. By reducing intermediate
stops and empty car runs, the handling capacity
can be increased by up to 30% compared with
conventional controls. The latest systems can
respond to patterns of travel in the building,
resulting in more efficient use of the lift group
and reduced passenger waiting times. Group
control can be particularly effective for refurbish-
ment projects, where it may be possible to pro-
vide improved service without increasing the
number of lifts in a building.
ESCALATORS
Escalators are very effective in moving large num-
bers of people slowly with no waiting time, but
are relatively expensive and occupy a large
amount of floor spacing compared to lifts. Their
usual range of application therefore includes air-
ports, retail parks and department stores, leisure
centres and high-density office areas such as trad-
ing floors. A limited range of functional options
may be specified, including step width, elevation
angle and travel speed (normally 0.5 – 0.75m/s).
Aesthetic and enhanced functional finishes can be
incorporated in the design, such as concealed
lighting, balustrades material, handrail type and
cladding material. I
Cost Model:
Lifts & Escalators

2. 67www.irishconstruction.com
ECONOMICS
Several factors combine to influence the cost of a lift installation, including the requirement for and location of a motor room
(MR or MRL); intelligent car group control; number of floors; fire-fighting; thru car; isolated installations – grouping of lifts most
economical; number of openings per floor; passenger capacity and finishes and facilities. Davis Langdon PKS has been involved
in a large number projects with lift and escalator installations throughout Ireland. This database of information has been used
to generate the cost model above, based on a standard sizes and finishes. Rates are using August 2008 as a base date. David Hughes,
Davis Langdon PKS
COST MODEL FOR LIFT AND ESCALATORS
Traction machine room less lift (MRL) - 8 person/630kg
Speed (m/s) 2 stops 4 stops 6 stops 8 stops 10 stops 12 stops
1.0 e34,000 e43,000 e50,000 e58,000 e66,000 n/a
1.6 n/a n/a e62,000 e70,000 e80,000 e92,000
2.0 n/a n/a n/a e88,000 e98,000 e110,000
Traction machine room less lift (MRL) - 13 person/1,000kg
Speed (m/s) 2 stops 4 stops 6 stops 8 stops 10 stops 12 stops
1.0 e40,000 e47,000 e58,000 e68,000 e78,000 n/a
1.6 n/a n/a e72,000 e82,000 e92,000 e102,000
2.0 n/a n/a n/a e98,000 e108,000 e118,000
Traction machine room less lift (MRL) - 16 person/1,250kg
Speed (m/s) 2 stops 4 stops 6 stops 8 stops 10 stops 12 stops
1.0 e52,000 e60,000 e68,000 e78,000 e88,000 n/a
1.6 n/a n/a e80,000 e90,000 e100,000 e110,000
2.0 n/a n/a n/a e102,000 e114,000 e124,000
Platform/disabled lift - 400kg
Speed (m/s) 2 stops 3 stops 4 stops
0.16 e23,000 e25,000 e27,000
Lift optional extras
Description Cost Assumption
Intelligent group control e5,000 per group of two lifts
Fireman’s lift conversion e16,000 excludes generator
Evacuation lift conversion e5,000
Adjacent entry e20,000 not available from all suppliers
Thru car e4,500 assumes one entrance per floor
Additional entry to above e4,000 per extra over entrance
Non-standard finish e7,600 standard - laminate and stainless steel
Escalator
Height (m) 35 degree angle 30 degree angle
3.5 70,000 72,500
6.0 82,500 85,000
Exclusions
This table represents typical costs from a range of lift suppliers. Prices will vary depending on specification and manufacture.
All prices are quoted in euros as at June 2008. Note exclusions below.
Lift shaft construction Maintenance agreements Permanent power supply, services to lift
Ventilation to motor rooms Electrical service to shaft Lighting and division screens to lift shaft and pit
Lifting beams Bespoke installations Lighting to escalators
Builders work Glass balustrade to escalators Contingencies and design development
Inflation Main contractor’s attendances VAT
Main contractor’s discount