I. Research Rationale
Owing to the convenience of living for the elderly, the Government encourage five-stories or below apartments to install lifts called ‘Special lifts for the transport of persons and goods’. This policy was not workable efficiently due to the restrictions of the type of equipment, environment, laws, ownership or residents living in the first floor who disagree on installing the lift in the existing apartment, though the Building Regulation have already been relaxed restriction on the Building Coverage Ratio(BCR), and Governments provid the subsidy.
Base on the characteristic of the special lifts, it is easier to install than the traditional lifts with a smaller space, within a depth of 15cm for installing an elevator pit or even pit excluded. The environmental restriction within five-stories or below apartments can be eliminated.
EN81-41:2010 is citied as the standard of Special lifts for the transport of persons and goods. The lifts which imported from foreign or innovated and manufactured by local firms, have been installed complied with EN 81-41 practically. It is designed to build up an accessible environment for townhouse or improve the living environment of existing public housing.
There are differences in ‘Special lifts for the transport of persons and goods’ as defined in regulations owing to different drivers, nominal rated speed and elements of the equipment. So, building a vertical accessible environment in old apartment by collecting data, clarifying safety consideration that can be promoted well and provided substitution for the lift equipment by following the construction management approach.
CNS standard is intended to comply with Building Regulations and consider the amendments of《Building Code and Regulation》. Besides, the manufacturers need to go through the formalities for the completion and inspect the elevator periodically after installation was finished. In short term, before any certification mechanism have been established, drawing up an appropriate inspection method according to《Certificate of Administrative Regulations on Installment and Inspection of Elevator in Building》is recommended for the follow-up regular maintenance due to no corresponding Completion checklist and Safety checklist is applicable. Therefore, this research aim to discuss the feasibility of the elevator pit with national standard consists a research of “Special lifts for the transport of persons and goods”, contributes to comprehensive suggestions for the related Building Regulations and study on how to solve the problem of installing the lift in the existing apartment.
II. Research Methods and Processes
This study adopts literature review, in-depth interviews, observation, expert focus group and case analysis, and could be divided into three phases. First of all, in order to establish the basis for policy progress, we reviewed regulations and policies associated with elevator installations of domestic and foreign government. All data were collected, we invited the total of 30 participants including agencies of public sectors, scholars, architectures, elevators associations and residents who own the aged apartments under five-stories by in-depth interviews. In third, four seminars and conferences involved with 30 experts totally for discussing the issues. Within the formulated policies/strategies conducted by this research would be further discussed and reformulated.
III. Conclusion
The national standard for lifting equipment and the equipment related to this study have been available in aboard. Domestic manufacturers who supply the standard lifting equipment in accordance with standard EN81-41 by a contract agency or self-development have been applied and demonstrated to solve the problem for vertical traveling of old apartments.
Lifting equipment according to EN standard, requires product certification with calculating, testing and inspecting processes. The related domestic mechanism need to be established. Furthermore, 79-1 and 90 of 《 Building Code and Regulation》are no significant help for improving the escape and refuge performance and may maximum difficulties in installing lifting equipment.
As it is an opportunity for building an accessible vertical lifting environment without elevator pit in an apartment under five stories, both of CNS standard and amendment of laws are required to have an overall review.