Gulf Construction Online - Kone addresses new people flow challenges

Manufacturers & Procurement

Kone DX Class features anti-microbial surfaces and built-in connnectivity.

Kone addresses new people flow challenges

01 June 2020

Kone Corporation, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, has introduced a range of people flow solutions to help make buildings and cities safer and healthier places to live, work and commute. The solutions are built on the Finland-headquartered manufacturer’s deep expertise and knowledge of people flow, which is vital when addressing the challenges of adapting to a new way of life in the face of the current pandemic, says a company official.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is transforming the way people move and interact in cities and buildings. All buildings now have different people flow challenges, from door to destination. As a pioneer in people flow, we want to help our customers with a holistic approach to health, well-being and safety as restrictions on both the movement of people and businesses begin to ease in different countries,” says Hugues Delval, Executive Vice President, Service Business, Kone.

As facilities gradually begin to open, people’s health and well-being is a major concern, bearing in mind the physical distancing measures as well as the need for people to be able to move around in shared spaces. The Kone People Flow Planning and Consulting service has been tailored to better support planning a safe return to offices and other buildings, in light of these kinds of measures, says Delval.

Kone 24/7 Connected Services enables faults to be predicted before they happen.

The experience of using residential buildings and public premises such as metro stations, shopping malls or offices is changing. For Kone customers, a key benefit of the health and well-being focused solutions is that improvements can be introduced easily, in an era when hygiene and physical distancing are vitally important.

By using data, simulation tools, and expertise from Kone’s interior architects and data scientists, customers can quickly see how to reduce crowding and bottlenecks and enable people to move around safely, he says. In addition, other new solutions improve air quality in elevators, help disinfect escalator handrails and reduce the need to touch surfaces.

“Kone plays a vital role in keeping society running during these unprecedented times. Elevators, escalators and the related maintenance are crucial in enabling people to carry out essential activities. Solutions like Kone 24/7 Connected Services can be a great support in business continuity, especially in today’s environment, so that our customers’ operations can be restarted quickly, equipment can be managed in real time and premises can be made safer for people to move around,” adds Delval.

Several existing Kone products and services are more relevant than ever today.

Kone 24/7 Connected Services brings increased safety, transparency, and intelligence to elevator and escalator maintenance, at a time when usage is critical, even when physical distancing measures are in place. The service enables faults to be predicted before they happen, and equipment status can be monitored around the clock. Kone DX Class elevators include anti-microbial surfaces for elevator car walls and handrails to protect against indirect contamination. With Kone DX Class elevators, built-in connectivity means new digital services can be introduced quickly and features can be upgraded in order to adapt to new needs.

The Kone DX Class elevators won four awards in the renowned Red Dot Award: Product Design 2020 competition last month. The Kone DX Class elevator interior collection and the Kone DX Class digital experience elevator concept were awarded for their outstanding design features, innovativeness and smart elements.

Launched last year, the Kone DX Class is the world’s first digital elevator series. With built-in connectivity as standard, it brings a new user experience to life through a combination of design, technology, new materials, apps and services. The offering features a whole new variety of design options and innovations, including anti-stain, anti-scratch, and anti-bacterial surfaces, which help keep the equipment clean and contribute to a healthier environment. Moreover, the collection includes a range of sustainable materials to meet green building criteria like Breeam (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design).

The new Kone health and well-being solutions being introduced are:

• Kone Elevator AirPurifier to improve air quality in the elevator car by destroying most potential pollutants, like bacteria, viruses, dust and odours. It uses Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO) technology developed by Nasa for removing contaminants from spacecraft cabins.

• Kone Handrail Sanitiser uses ultraviolet light to gradually disinfect escalator handrails. Continuous chemical-free cleaning happens inside the escalator, with no risk for passengers. Exposure to ultra-violet radiation helps remove and inhibit the reproduction of micro-organisms such as bacteria or viruses.

• Kone Elevator Call lets people call an elevator from anywhere nearby using an app on their smartphone. It works together with the Kone Flow app as well as selected social messaging apps on different mobile operating systems, completely removing the need to touch elevator buttons and screens.

The health and well-being solutions are being launched globally now, with local introduction in different countries depending on the availability of features, solutions, and services in each area, says the company.