Video Presentations: Rethinking Vertical Transportation in the Post-Pandemic Office Building

Derek Groenwoldt
Director of Architectural Design
Individuals, Chicago

The COVID-19 pandemic has created differing opinions and theories regarding the future of vertical transportation within tall buildings. A complicating factor is the requirement to maintain social distancing guidelines while using vertical lift systems, creating concerns about excessive lines and crowding as reopening ramps up. While current projections include decreased office building occupancy, how this will be enacted without negatively effecting productivity through increased wait times is yet to be determined.

Historically, vertical transportation for office buildings is based on moving 100 percent of the building population into or out of the building within a one hour period. Accounting for a peak 5-minute period within that hour, the demand then becomes 12–14 percent, depending on office occupancy type. This has been the method used for over a century. Additional analysis or vertical conveyance performance is available through the use of simulation software but results should still be evaluated based on the same target performance criteria, which may vary based on client or market. Lowering future building populations due to predicted occupancies post-pandemic may be offset by limiting elevator passenger throughput. Therefore, this same process should be followed for current building design as it protects the viability of the vertical transportation system for the life of the building.