Laing O’Rourke has devised a modular elevator solution with manufacturer Kone which will slash on-site installation time, the companies say.
The rule of thumb for elevator installation is typically one week per floor. The new system allows project teams to install a three-storey lift module in just 90 minutes.
Laing O’Rourke and Kone began testing the concept in 2020 on Building S5 in King’s Cross, advancing a solution that was originally used on cruise ships around a decade earlier.
“We designed a working system, delivering two prototypes, both of which proved that the concept worked and that a lift could be modularised,” said Sam Ward, programme leader at Laing O’Rourke’s global technology and innovation group.
“Workers on site don’t have to deal with the usual volume of deliveries or the proliferation of exclusion zones as the shafts are installed. This is because volumetric frames are fabricated off-site then assembled, wrapped, protected and stored, ready to be delivered on site.”
He added: “One of the major benefits of the modular system is that it encourages a safer working environment for the fitters. We move work from a relatively confined dark, damp space on site to a controlled factory environment. Also there is only one delivery instead of multiple deliveries with multiple small components.
“Workers themselves report numerous benefits, including the reduced need for storage space, a reduction in both working at height and manual labour, and notably less on-site clutter, dust and noise.”
Laing O’Rourke has a long-standing offsite strategy, with the aim of making 90% of its construction work factory-built by 2025.
