OTIS lifts ideal for saving energy

Architect Abdu-Wahab Nyanzi says any developer who has an interest in constructing a storeyed building, must know that there are important aspects to be considered.

And one of the things one must consider is installing lifts. He says they save time and ease movement of people.

Even when altering buildings, you must ensure that people with special needs have access to every part of that building.

This applies even when there are no people with special needs when you are at the building phase. David Kireli a civil engineer says installing a lift is one option when you have multi-storey buildings.

Important as lifts are, they are expensive to install and maintain.

OTIS unveiled energy and cost effective lifts in 2000 and they made their way to Uganda in 2014.

According to Luke Mawanda, a marketing officer at Fabrication Systems (U) Ltd, the distributors of OTIS lifts in Uganda, located in Banda, Kampala, OTIS lifts recycle and reuse power by generating energy in the motor while descending the building with a loaded cabin.

He says the lift also generates energy while ascending the building with an empty or lightly loaded cabin, and the energy is converted into usable electricity by its regeneration drive (ReGen Drive).

"The converted energy is then redirected to other components of the machine as electricity," he says.

Mawanda explains that OTIS lifts have high safety features, such as factory-locked, tamper-proof speed governors and the resistance-based inspection (RBI) system for coated steel belts, that automatically checks the lift belts 24 hours a day for any damage.

It also boasts of features such as a din call load weighing device and disk brake, secured door lock, fire warning and auto rescue devices for emergencies.

For persons with disabilities, such as the visually impaired, there is a provision for braille text and a voice announcer to guide them on what floor the lift has reached and which buttons to press.

Kalpesh Mehta, the general manager Fabrication Systems, says most world renowned buildings such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Los Angeles Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport and the Empire State Building in New York, have this type of lifts.

OTIS has been involved in the lift world for over 160 years and it sells over 66,000 lifts per year in 130 countries worldwide.

Costs

Mehta says in terms of pricing, OTIS is not only competitive, but also saves electricity. He adds that the lifts operate at very low power, which in the long run pays back the investment.

"Parts used in OTIS lifts are long lasting, which makes operating costs low compared to other mechanical lifts," he notes.

Mehta explains that the latest lifts are more electronic and less mechanical, which reduces wear and tear, as well as mechanical breakdown.

Maintaining and servicing

Your lift must be regularly inspected and serviced to keep it safe.