A new elevator design could lift buildings to new heights.
ThyssenKrupp has started testing an innovative elevator concept, called MULTI, in a purpose-built tower in Germany, according to a report by JLL.
The design uses magnetic levitation technology similar to the kind used in Japan’s bullet trains and is devised to allow for both horizontal and vertical movement.
The elevators have the ability to operate on a continuous loop and could add about 25% more internal space in towers because the cable and counterweight system that is currently used would be replaced by magnetic levitation.
The technology is also said to reduce the amount of power used by an estimated 60%. Energy usage can be controlled and managed digitally.
If the concept moves forward, buildings could increase in height in the coming years. According to JLL, elevator strain has historically been an issue when constructing new towers, causing most skyscrapers to require the use of separate elevators to reach higher floors. MULTI would be able to climb all the way to the top.
ThyssenKrupp’s design is set to be installed in Berlin’s East Side Tower development in 2019.
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