KONE Corporation has announced a new elevator technology that could make it possible for supertall buildings to reach greater heights by eliminating several problems of existing elevator technology. The firm's new UltraRope hoisting system uses a rope with a carbon-fiber core and high-friction coating, rather than conventional steel rope. UltraRope is comparatively lightweight, requiring 15% less energy for moving hoisting ropes, compensating ropes, counterweights, elevator cars, and passengers, according to KONE.
In addition, carbon fiber resonates at a different frequency than steel and other typical building materials, a property that is predicted to reduce downtime attributable to building sway. KONE estimates that the product will only have to be replaced half as often as steel rope. The manufacturer claims that the new technology will make it practical for elevators to travel heights of up to 1,000 meters—twice as high as is possible with current technology. (Elevators in the Burj Khalifa, an 828-meter-tall building, will travel a maximum of 504 meters.)
The technology could help facilitate the creation of high-density housing and other urban projects. "This is finally a breakthrough on one of the 'holy grail' limiting factors of tall buildings: that is, the height to which a single elevator could operate before the weight of the steel rope becomes unsupportable over that height," says Antony Wood, Executive Director of the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
(http://download.kone.com/ultrarope/index.htm)
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jul 17, 2018
Transwestern report: Office buildings near transit earn 65% higher lease rates
Analysis of 15 major metros shows the average rent in central business districts was $43.48/sf for transit-accessible buildings versus $26.01/sf for car-dependent buildings.
Architects | Jul 10, 2018
AEC marketing fundamentals can still have a role in winning new business
In our Internet-fueled world, it’s easy to get distracted by the latest online tools. But the boring stuff is still important, and you don’t want to lose sight of old-school techniques that are just as persuasive now as they were a few decades ago.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 9, 2018
Work, park, live: Inside Cincinnati’s parking garage turned lifestyle hotel
The Summit hotel and conference center is a converted parking garage that was once a factory.
Architects | Jun 28, 2018
Designing successful maker spaces
The challenge is to design makerspaces that work, spaces that function as a tool for educators to produce better students.
Architects | Jun 27, 2018
Steven A. Lichtenberger joins Leo A Daly as President
He will lead the firm’s global planning, architecture, engineering, and interiors practice worldwide.
Accelerate Live! | Jun 24, 2018
Watch all 19 Accelerate Live! talks on demand
BD+C’s second annual Accelerate Live! AEC innovation conference (May 10, 2018, Chicago) featured talks on AI for construction scheduling, regenerative design, the micro-buildings movement, post-occupancy evaluation, predictive visual data analytics, digital fabrication, and more. Take in all 19 talks on demand.
Building Team | Jun 22, 2018
What owners should know before choosing the design-build project delivery method
Outside of drawing up a well-written contract, owners often overlook a key attribute that can significantly impact the success of a design-build project, writes Skanska’s Julie Hyson.
Architects | Jun 14, 2018
Chicago Architecture Center sets Aug. 31 as opening date
The Center is located at 111 E. Wacker Drive.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 13, 2018
Multifamily visionaries: KTGY’s extraordinary expectations
KTGY Architecture + Planning keeps pushing the boundaries of multifamily housing design in the U.S., Asia, and the Middle East.
| Jun 11, 2018
Accelerate Live! talk: Regenerative design — When sustainability is not enough
In this 15-minute talk at BD+C’s Accelerate Live! conference (May 10, 2018, Chicago), HMC’s Eric Carbonnier poses the question: What if buildings could actually rejuvenate ecosystems?