CIBSE GUIDANCE | GUIDE D: 2020 CIBSES ESSENTIAL TRAVEL GUIDE CIBSE Guide D: 2020 Transportation systems in buildings includes the latest in vertical transportation, including ropeless lifts and accessibility for older people. Dr Gina Barney HonFCIBSE and Adam Scott FCIBSE summarises its content professional development. The content is also pitched to act as a primer for architects and developers, as well as for facilities and building managers, who may not be directly concerned with the design and installation of lifts and escalators, but who need to understand the advice offered to them by specialists. Students embarking on a career in mechanical, electrical or building services engineering should also find the guide of value. Contents of Guide D Many of the chapters in Guide D: 2020 have undergone major revisions T he past few years have brought a major step in lift technology, with equipment powered by linear magnet drives, freeing the lift car to move horizontally and vertically. This prototype ropeless system has no means of suspension and allows several lift cars to operate in the same well, with cars moving horizontally and vertically on a circular principle first seen in paternoster lifts (Figure 1). The ropeless lift is one of the technologies included in the update to CIBSE Guide D: 2020 Transportation systems in buildings, which includes guidance on lifts, escalators, moving walkways, lifting platforms, stair lifts and hoists. Also included is information on the machine-room-less (MRL) lift, which continues to broaden its range of application, and offers more opportunity for effective, appropriate lifting capability in a space-efficient manner. As the name suggests, this lift eliminates the need for a fixed machine room. Care does, however, need to be taken to ensure that MRL equipment is fit for the intended purpose. The main purpose of CIBSE Guide D is to provide in-depth information to practitioners involved in transportation systems who wish to enhance their knowledge through a programme of continuing The design of any lift or escalator system must start with a consideration of the traffic flows through the building for which the system is intended. Relevant factors, along with guidance on the location and arrangement of lifts, escalators and moving walkways within buildings are discussed in chapter 2. This considers a range of building types and has some additional guidance principles for disabled circulation. The chapter has undergone significant revision and now provides more useful guidance in this important area, including the new principle of Body Area Index (Figure 2). Chapters 3 and 4 are now titled, respectively, Lift traffic design using calculation and Lift traffic design using simulation, and are closely linked. The recommended design parameters have been updated to align more closely with those proposed by the British Council for Offices, and these chapters now include an important new section covering lifts intended for use by cyclists (Figure 3). Chapter 5 links with the 12 building types considered in chapters 2 and 3. It remains a pivotal chapter, because it gives a thorough review of various types of vertical transportation systems, and is now updated with new products and applications, including bike lifts and rigid chain technology (Figure 4). It should be the first port of call for new entrants into the industry, because not only does it describe, in detail, the various types of lifting systems, but it also offers advice on planning and design principles. The chapter examines the standard traction drive and hydraulic drive lifts, including MRL lifts, while the appendix provides guidance on structural well sizing, and indicates common car platform areas on which passengers stand. Chapter 6 covers firefighters and evacuation lifts, and has been completely rewritten to cover the extensive changes in codes and standards since the last issue of the guide. This chapter now includes: additional information on building requirements; essential firefighters lift requirements; modernisation of lifts for fire-service use; 24 April 2021 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE April 21 pp24-26 Guide D lift guidance.indd 24 26/03/2021 14:40