ELA white paper on modernisation

The ELA white paper on the modernisation of existing lifts is now also available in German. It was also translated in English, French, and Italian.

By the ELA WG SAEL, represented by Frank Schmidt

At the European Lift Association (ELA), a working group was established some time ago consisting of several technical committees, which deals with the improvement of safety, accessibility and energy efficiency of existing lifts (SAEL).

An important current result of this work group is the publication of an ELA white paper on the sustainability of modernisations in general. This white paper is available in a long and short form. The short version has also been translated into German.

The documents explain how the modernisation of existing lifts in buildings supports climate neutrality, digitalisation and resilience in Europe. They also indicate that in view of the increasing age of the European population, barrier-freedom and mobility in buildings are strong drivers for modernisation with aspects such as inclusion and life quality in particular taking pride of place.

Modernise existing lifts

Lift operators are motivated to modernise their existing lifts, to avoid accidents, further improve barrier-freedom for older people and people with disabilities and enhance the overall energy efficiency of their buildings.

The aim of the paper is to show that the exchange of any existing by a replacement lift is neither sustainable nor cost-efficient. The modernisation of existing lifts can be a much more sustainable option here and produce considerable social, ecological and economic advantages – for individuals and society.

Frank Schmidt is the head of development at Aufzugswerke Schmitt + Sohn in Nuremberg and co-author of the "SAEL White Paper" of the ELA.

More information: Whitepaper: For more information on the creation of the SAEL white paper, please refer to the online article ‘Modernisation instead of new lifts: The sustainable way’ at lift-journal.com.

All of these documents are available for download on the ELA homepage. https://www.ela-aisbl.eu/brochures/