Vertical Transportation in Smart Buildings: Integrating KONE Elevators with Next-Gen Technology

An isolated vertical transport system is often a liability; it creates data silos, frustrates tenants, and cannot adapt to new technologies. The future of vertical transportation in smart buildings lies in connectivity.

This connected philosophy is the driving force behind KONE's KONE DX Class elevators for new constructions. At KONE, we have re-engineered the elevator to be a smart, communicative, and upgradeable platform, enhancing security, efficiency, and the all-important tenant experience.

A "smart elevator" is not defined by a touch screen or a digital display. A truly smart elevator is defined by its connectivity. It’s a shift from a reactive piece of hardware to a proactive, data-rich service.

This connectivity is built on three pillars:

1. Integration: The elevator can communicate two-way with other building systems.
2. Intelligence: It uses data to optimise performance, predict maintenance, and adapt to building traffic.
3. Experience: It leverages this technology to create a smoother, faster, and more intuitive journey for users, which is the core of KONE's People Flow philosophy (how people move smoothly, safely, and efficiently through a building).

The most critical evolution for elevators is the ability to integrate with the core Building Management System (BMS). In the past, the lift system was a black box. Today, KONE's DX Class elevators are built with open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

An API is essentially a secure digital 'handshake' that allows different, unrelated software systems to talk to each other. This transforms building automation lifts from a concept into a practical reality.

Instead of being isolated, the elevator becomes a key player in building operations:

• Integrated Security: An employee swiping their access card at a turnstile can automatically call a lift and be granted access only to their specific floor.
• Visitor Management: A guest receiving a QR code on their phone can scan it in the lobby to be automatically guided to the correct lift and floor, creating a seamless, high-tech welcome.
• Service Robotics: The elevator's API can allow cleaning or delivery robots to "call" the lift, select a floor, and travel through the building autonomously, boosting operational efficiency.

KONE's smart elevators are, in essence, IoT elevators (Internet of Things). They are powerful sensors moving through the building, and the data they generate is invaluable for asset managers.

This is a two-way street. The elevator doesn't just receive commands; it constantly sends data on its own health and performance to the KONE cloud. This data includes operational statistics, door-opening cycles, peak traffic times, and micro-deviations in component health.

This data stream is the engine of KONE 24/7 Connected Services. By using AI to analyse this data, we can move from a reactive "break-fix" maintenance model to a predictive one. The system can flag a component for service before it fails, allowing for a planned repair outside of peak hours.

For a building owner, this means less downtime, fewer tenant complaints, and a lower total cost of ownership.

This intelligence is also visible to the tenant. The most sophisticated, user-facing example is destination control systems.

Unlike traditional systems, where passengers press an 'up' or 'down' button and then select their floor inside the car, a destination control system requires the passenger to select their exact floor in the lobby. The system's "brain" then instantly analyses the request, groups passengers going to similar floors, and assigns them to the most efficient lift.

The benefits are immediate and profound:

• Reduced Congestion: It eliminates the lobby-crowding and bunched-up lifts that plague peak hours.
• Fewer Stops: Each journey has fewer interruptions, dramatically shortening travel times.
• An Enhanced Experience: The system feels intelligent, modern, and respectful of the user's time, significantly lifting the building's premium feel.

Here’s the most critical consideration for a developer or long-term asset owner: a building's hardware (the lift) will last 20-25 years, but its digital systems (like access control) may be replaced every 5-10 years.

The KONE DX Class is different. It is an upgradeable system. We built it with the understanding that the software is just as important as the hardware. Its connected platform means that as new technologies, new APIs, and new integrations become available, the elevator's software can be updated to meet them.

This same forward-thinking technology can also be integrated into older buildings through our intelligent elevator upgrade solutions.

Vertical transportation in smart buildings is no longer an optional extra. It is the central nervous system that enhances security, delivers operational insights, and creates the premium tenant experience that defines a modern, high-value asset.

To explore the connected platform at the heart of our new elevators, discover the KONE DX Class.

To learn how to bring this next-generation connectivity to your existing building, explore our elevator upgrade solutions.