Kone public access elevators are compact, attractive, reliable and more

Every day all over the world, escalators, autowalks and elevators enable millions of publicbuildings to function effectively and connect seamlessly to the surrounding urban environment.They do this by ensuring the efficient flow of people into them, through them and out of them.But what should you look for in an escalator, autowalk or elevator for a public building?

Compact size - in most public buildings, small or large,space is precious. You need to look for features that freeup space.

Attractive designs - architects want to smoothlyintegrate escalators and elevators into their buildingdesigns and therefore look for attractive designs anddecorations that are easy to customise.

Reliability - "out-of-order" means compromised safetyand bottlenecks. You need durable escalators andelevators, capable of running up to 24 hours a day,7 days a week, indoors and outdoors, in the mostdemanding environments.

Fire prevention - adherence to fire regulations is notenough. Features such as oil-free systems that reducethe risk of fire starting in the first place are vital.

Maintainability - you need your equipment to beprofessionally maintained so that it doesn't break downin the first place, not simply repaired when it does.Preventive maintenance is the key.

Green, clean and quiet - oil-free escalators areincreasingly being specified for public buildings.The absence of oil makes them easier to keep cleanand attractive, and speeds up the cleaning processto reduce equipment downtime. Silent operationis also important - in libraries for example.

Safe and easy to use - an elevator should have clearsignalisation and buttons; an escalator should be well-litand signposted. Safety - especially for children and theelderly - is paramount, as is wheelchair access.

Heavy-duty - traffic flow is frequently heavy in publicbuildings. Just imagine a city centre metro station. Ora sports stadium after a big match! Your transportationequipment should be able to comfortably handle trafficin peak periods and guide them in the right direction.