Digitally transforming vertical transportation

Sebi Joseph, President, Otis India speaks to Realty+ about the advancements technology has brought to vertical transportation. He goes on to explain the infusion of green technology and how it is transforming the core business.   What are all the key developments of Otis? Otis shaped the industry in various facets of vertical transportation. Speaking about green elevators we have a product called Gen2 which can reduce the operating cost up to about 50-60%. In this green elevator, there is no rope, the Gen2 uses flat polyurethane-coated steel belts which does not require any lubrication. The highlights are space-saving designs, performance, and efficiency. A key component of the Gen2 is the ReGen drive, which when combined offers energy savings by up to 50%. When an empty elevator travels up or a fully loaded elevator travels down, energy is created and is often wasted as heat. The ReGen drive turns this energy into electricity and then feeds this captured power back into the building’s electrical grid for reuse by other building systems like lighting. In pursuing the role of sustainability, we are expanding the commitment to green elevators. We are expanding our Gen2 offerings at our factory in Bengaluru, to cater to taller buildings. The destination management system has been another game changer. This technology constantly evaluates real-time passenger traffic to improve flow and travel time in busy mid- and high-rise buildings. Instead of using standard hall call buttons, passengers enter their specific floor in the Compass fixture. The system assigns passengers traveling to nearby floors to the same car. This minimizes the number of stops per trip for the elevator and significantly reduces car crowding as well as passenger wait and travel times.

We have many prestigious projects across India: In Kolkata- ITC and Ideal Group. In Mumbai, there is Indiabulls, in the South – Prestige Group and Hyderabad Metro – the largest single contract of elevators and escalators in the history of India, and Delhi Metro in the North as well.

  What is Gen2® Technology? Otis revolutionized the elevator industry by introducing green technology through its flagship technology, the Gen2. The Gen2 family leverages flat, polyurethane-coated steel belts and a compact permanent-magnet gearless machine to deliver outstanding performance, reliability and design flexibility. It reduces energy consumption by up to 50%. There is more than 6.72 billion square feet of green building footprint registered under IGBC and more than 5,142 projects approved by IGBC as green structures. Our Gen2® equipment and ReGen™ drive technology support these type of green buildings. As of 2018, we have sold more than 700,000 units worldwide – the fastest-selling product in the company’s history.   Digitalization – Transforming the core business? We have also begun our digitalization journey, as we integrate smart technology into our service business. When mechanics are on site, they have digital tools and proprietary Otis apps to do their job more efficiently, to fix issues before they cause shutdowns and get elevators back into service faster when they do shut down, resulting in reduced downtime. Real-time elevator performance analysis allows us to spot issues right away and call the customer before they even recognize they have an issue. Additional equipment performance insights for mechanics helps them arrive on site ready with the tools and parts needed to get equipment up and running faster. Embedded IoT tools enable a personalized experience by making management easier, system performance better and putting relevant information at your fingertips, whether you are the passenger, a facility or building operator or maintenance personnel. Intelligent technologies built on the backbone of IoT that can predict issues before they occur, diagnose issues remotely and better connect our people to our equipment and customers. Personalized and unique services designed for and with our individual customers that blend modern intelligence with our legacy of personal touch. Our customers benefit from enhanced reliability, efficiency, stronger communication and real-time equipment updates.   Are you thinking of expanding your business? The safety elevator was invented by Otis in 1853. In 1892 we installed the country’s first elevator in Kolkata’s Raj Bhawan and we begun operations in the country in 1953. There’s enough scope for growth for vertical transportation in India. By 2030 there will be an increase of more than 40% of the population in cities. India is the second largest market after China and the growth rate is about an average of 5%. The necessity for elevators and escalators is increasing. The market is also expanding to tier 2 and 3 cities. Otis is one of the brands that have shaped modern cities or else moving up and down and throughout buildings would have been very difficult.