Elevators on Generator

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mshields

mshields

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Location
Boston, MA
I've got a 4 story medical office building 2 banks of elevators. 2 elevators in each bank. I believe I need to put one elevator in each bank on generator back up in keeping with the ADA requirement for generator backup of elevators in 4 story buildings or higher where the elevator is part of the evacuation scheme (a passage I've never seen if truth be told).

Couple of question here: 1) do you agree I need gen power to each bank of elevators.

2) should I treat the emerg power to the elevators like I would in a high rise. i.e. power for only 1 elevator in each bank?

Appreciate your input.

Mike
 
You might want to look into putting all of the elevators on emergency power, but only allowing one in each group to run at any given time. The elevator providers can make that happen with programming.
 
Elevator Emergency Power

Elevator Emergency Power

Recommend that you check what the classification of the occupancy is (refer to the International Building Code for your area). I have ran into this before and found many health clinics classified under "B" for business occupancy. Therefore, it may not be necessary unless some other code requires it. Another thing is to check with the elevator manufacturer and ask if they can provide a 'battery let-down option' with each unit so that no emergency power would be required.

Hope that this is of some help.
 
Another thing to keep in mind is that under the IBC the accessible means of egress elevator is requied to be powered as legally required standby power and not emergency power.

Chris
 
weressl said:
Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of "evacuation"?
Click to expand...

You're misunderstanding. There are two ways to have one elevator operable in the case of a power outage.

1. Only put one on emergency power.
2. Put them all on, but only let one run at once.

Number two is a little better, since if an evacuation and outage happens while the elevator in #1 is broken and/or being serviced, the other elevator can perform the same function.
 
Just to clarify

Just to clarify

I/we typically bring legally required standby power to all elevators in a high rise but only enough standby power to operate one elevator in each bank at a time. Which elevator is operated is selectable.

One of you said that having a "rescuvator" eliminates the need for gen power. Is that true? It seems to me that this merely assures you're being able to impliment recall.

Isn't the purpose of keeping an elevator running so that the FD can use it at their discretion?


Mike
 
Hmmmm.....have never seen an elevator used as part of an evacuation scheme.....? Is this a specific ADA "requirement" or is an "Area of Rescue" acceptable?
 
MA State code

MA State code

Remeber MA has not adopted the IBC or the Life Safety Code, we need to follow 780 CMR....Good old MA!
 
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