escalators

NEEA Members are Going Green

As the population of Canada continues to grow, sustainable urban development has become a key concern. To meet the needs of large metropolitan cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, NEEA member companies (KONE, Otis, Schindler, TK Elevator) are developing innovative strategies and solutions that will address the challenges of urbanization while still prioritizing safety and the environment.

By modernizing existing infrastructure and designing more energy-efficient products, NEEA members are significantly reducing the carbon footprint of buildings across Canada.

 
 

As of this May, all NEEA member companies have released sustainability reports compiled according to the leading sustainability reporting standard, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Each report reflects our member companies’ commitments to energy efficiency, transparency, and corporate responsibility. For example, one report found that related greenhouse gas emissions had been reduced by 19% during the 2020-21 fiscal year, while reliance on electricity obtained from renewable resources had increased to 45%. Another report from the same year revealed that 99%+ of all industrial waste generated by factory operations had been successfully recycled.

NEEA member companies have set ambitious global goals to continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions and further the other great work accomplished thus far. These objectives are critical to supporting cities in sustainable infrastructure development as well as environmentally conscious retrofits, repairs, and renovations.

Modernizing elevators alone can increase energy savings by 70%. Not only does this mean lower operating costs, more predictable lifecycle management and better people flow, but it is also a key element in the establishment of eco-friendly, green buildings.

 
 

As Canadian cities move towards sustainable urban development to accommodate population growth, NEEA member companies are taking the necessary steps to go green. Environmentally friendly, energy efficient buildings are soon to be the norm:

NEEA members are prepared to invest in the future.

NEEA Member Company Completes Largest Elevator Modernization in Winnipeg History

Elevators designed by NEEA member companies (KONE, Otis, Schindler, TK Elevator) are safe and reliable, with many still in operation several decades after first being installed. This is in part thanks to the ongoing preventative maintenance, timely routine maintenance, and the modernization of equipment when necessary.

Recently, a NEEA member company undertook the largest elevator modernization project in the history of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The project located at 201 Portage Avenue, which also happens to be the tallest office building in Manitoba, featured the modernization of 12 elevators.

 

Photo Source: TK Elevator

 

Completed in 1990, the 33-story building includes a mix of office, retail, and meeting space. The elevators, first installed over 30 years ago, will include the latest technological developments from a NEEA member company. These enhancements will reduce elevator downtime, enable faster floor-to-floor time, as well as reduce energy consumption significantly.

 

Photo Source: TK Elevator

 

Energy conservation and reuse is a key pillar of NEEA member companies as they work to ensure the built environment in Canada has the lowest possible environmental footprint and energy use. Elevator modernization can reduce this footprint in many ways; from more efficient motors to modern LED cab lighting and motion sensors, and even sustainable regenerative drives to harness unused building energy.

In addition to energy mitigation, NEEA member company elevator modernizations incorporate the newest additional safety features as NEEA member companies continue to drive safety enhancements around the world. This modernization project will include elevator cab door interlocks to ensure that doors remain closed from the inside, as well as a door reversal electronic safety edge to prevent an elevator car door from making contacting with passengers.