ELEVATOR CALCULATIONS

NUMBER OF ELEVATORS
SIZING OF ELEVATOR LOBBY
SIZING OF ELEVATOR UPPER FLOOR
LANDING
In the Preliminary Design Stage, the determination of
the size or quantity of elevators can be done through
the use of the following formula:

N = (A x F x C) ÷ (226 x E)
Where:
N = Number of elevators
A = Area of each floor
F = Number of floors in the building
C = Elevator Capacity Factor (Refer to Table 1.0)
E = Area of elevator in m² (Refer to Elevator Design Parameters)
Elevator Design Parameters
ITEM VALUE
Minimum area per person 0.18 sq. meters/person
Maximum live load capacity 587 kg/sq. meter
Minimum depth of car 1.40 meters
Minimum width of car (capacity less than 910 kg) 1.40 meters
Minimum width of car (capacity 910 kg or more) 1.75 meters
Minimum area of car (capacity less than 910 kg) 1.90 square meters
Minimum area of car (capacity 910 kg or more) 2.40 square meters
Minimum opening width 0.90 meter
Desirable opening width 1.10 meters
Desirable shaft area Approximately 170% of car area
Minimum thickness of shaft 0.12 meter
Table 1.0 Elevator Capacity Factors
Building Type Capacity Factor
Office: Single Purpose Occupancy 0.33
Office: Diverse Occupancy 0.22
Apartment/Condominium 0.17
Hotel 0.38
Hospital 0.12
Parking Garage 0.16

Elevator Car Capacity: Number of Persons Served

Number of Persons Served Number of Persons Served
6 person 12
8/7 13/12
9/8 15/14
10/9 17/16
11/10 20/18
Sample Problem:

A 13 storey hotel has 925 square meter floor space on each

level. Determine the number of elevators, if the car capacity is
20 person.
Solution:
Substituting:
N = (A x F x C) ÷ 226 x E
N = (925 x 13 x 0.38) ÷ (226 x 3.6)
Where:
A = 925 sq.m.
= 4,569.50 ÷ 813.6
F = 13 floors
C = 0.38 (from Table 1.0)
= 5.6 elevators
E = 20 persons x 0.18 m²/person
N = say 6 elevators
How to Determine the Minimum Size of the Elevator Lobby
Use the formula:
Table 2.0 Occupancy Load
Occupancy Net Area per
L = (0.45 C x A x N) ÷ O Occupant
Where: Apartment 23 m²
L = Minimum area of elevator lobby
Hotel 11
in square meters
C = Elevator Capacity Factor (See Hospital 12
Table 1) Museum 1.5
A = Net Area of each floor Office 14
N = Number of floors served by the
Retail 3 to 5
elevator from its main lobby
O = Occupancy load of floor space School 1.4
served in square meter per Dormitory 9
occupant (See Table 2.0)
Sample Problem:

If a 13 storey hotel has 925 square meter floor space on each

level, what is the size of its elevator lobby?

Solution:
Substituting:
L= (0.45 x C x A x N) ÷ O
L = (0.45 x 0.38 x 925 x 13) ÷ (11)
Where:
C = 0.38
= 2,056.28 ÷ 11
A = 925 square meters
N = 13
= 186.93 square meters
O = 11
N = say 187 square meters
How to Determine the Minimum Size of the Upper Floor
landings of the Elevator

Use the formula:

Table 2.0 Occupancy Load

L = (0.45 C x A) ÷ O Occupancy Net Area per
Where: Occupant
L = Minimum area of elevator lobby
Apartment 23 m²
in square meters
C = Elevator Capacity Factor (See Hotel 11
Table 1) Hospital 12
A = Net Area of each floor Museum 1.5
O = Occupancy load of floor space Office 14
served in square meter per
Retail 3 to 5
occupant (See Table 2.0)
School 1.4
Dormitory 9
Sample Problem:

If a 13 storey hotel has 925 square meter floor space on each

level, what is the size of its upper floor landings of the elevator?

Solution:
Substituting:
L= (0.45 x C x A) ÷ O
L = (0.45 x 0.38 x 925) ÷ (11)
Where:
C = 0.38
= 158.18 ÷ 11
A = 925 square meters
O = 11
= 14.38 square meters

N = say 15 square meters

End of Presentation