I would suggest having elevators of the new fire-safe type, which I
understand are beginning to be built in UK.
Perhaps somebody can tell me -- how many buildings already ave them?
Examples (& architects?) Are these retrofitted or built new that way?
Otis elevator in USA has recently said in publicity that they can build
elevators in the US this way... but I don't know of any US customers
yet. I don't think the codes would stop one from upgrading the various
parts as required to be fire-usable, but I am not sure if one could get
approval to label such an elevator as a fire exit. I guess that signage
and the control system that doesn't lock it when smoke sensors pick up
smoke, would be the part that required revising a building code, or
perhaps getting a waiver of some sort.
At the Universal Design Conference in New York City in October 2001, (at
SUNY / FIT) an architect an fire engineer from Ireland named Niles (I
don't have his last name handy; Niles was his nickname which did not
appear on his business card) who said he was working as a consultant to
the European Union, said at a hastily called discussion of post 9-11
PWD-evacuation concerns, that he was advising the EU on PWD evacuation
as it relates to developing their building code, and that within a few
years when the EU comes out with its own code, these kinds of elevators
may be in it.
Anyone on this list have any experience using these type of elevators in
fires? Has it been written about, yet?
Jim Davis
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