«An elevator is not a cell phone»

The elevator can make an important contribution to the circular turnaround in the construction industry, see 'What the elevator contributes to the circular economy', page 4. But how does this work in practice? Where are the challenges, where are the opportunities? What role do costs and guarantees play? And what needs to change? We discuss this in Emch's 'exotic warehouse', among old motors, controls and winches.

With the K 118 head-end building in Winterthur, the construction office In Situ has built a highly acclaimed structure from reused components. But the elevator is new. Why?
Marc Angst: We had a relatively new elevator from a major manufacturer on our hands, from a hotel in Zurich that was to be completely renovated. We met on site with technicians and the expert from the elevator inspection department of the city of Winterthur to clarify whether the removal and reuse would work in terms of safety. Of course, said the technicians, it would be no problem. But the lift company ultimately refused. We don't do that, they said, we only sell new lifts. The lift was torn out and disposed of. After that, there wasn't enough time to look any further.
Bernhard Emch: A missed opportunity!

Would Emch have been willing and able to expand and continue using the lift if such a request had been made?
Bernhard Emch: Absolutely. Back in my father's day, we were already assembling and dismantling lifts, taking them apart and reusing them elsewhere, for example at the BEA trade fair in Bern. Today, we often have to dismantle lifts that would still be good to use - our own and others'. Simply because the building is being demolished. If I were asked in such a situation whether we would reinstall the lift at another location: I wouldn't hesitate for a second! Reuse and repurposing is in our genes. This has been our strategy and our niche since the company was founded: not going for quantity, but investing in quality. Not tearing out lifts, but replacing and modernizing parts of them. However, the decision to do this is not in our hands. I remember one of our first glass lifts: a beautiful round lift for a boutique on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse. After just 15 years, the store was renovated and the lift disposed of. That breaks my heart.

So storing such a lift is not an option?

Bernhard Emch: A lift is not a cell phone. Long-term storage requires a lot of space and is correspondingly expensive. If it's not clear whether the lift can be installed elsewhere in the foreseeable future, it's not financially viable for us. But we have ideas on how we can expand reuse in the future.
Marc Angst: A problem I am familiar with. This is precisely why we don't keep a permanent warehouse, but work on a project-specific basis: if a client wants to build with reused components, we acquire them and store them temporarily - preferably on the construction site or at the client's premises. For the client, however, this means an early risk investment. Because you can't design a re-use project without knowing what you're working with and the dimensions, the important components must already be purchased and in stock at the start of planning. As a result, the costs up to the building application are around twice as high as for a conventional new-build project.

Although Emch does not now store entire lift systems, the size of the spare parts warehouse is still impressive.
Bernhard Emch: This is the logical consequence of our company philosophy. If you want to maintain lifts that are 50 years or older, you need a correspondingly large warehouse. We store 30,000 parts on our Kardex shelves alone. Pins, relays, resistors. Then there are the large parts: Motors, coils, traction sheaves. Everything has to find a place somewhere.
Marc Angst: Do you know what is where? Do you have that under control?

Bernhard Emch: We need to have this under control!
Marc Angst: Information management is key to reuse: How do you keep track? And above all: How much old knowledge about the individual component can still be retrieved, and where? What do I need to re-record for further planning, and how?"
Bernhard Emch: A lot of knowledge is in the heads of our employees. This is already evident in the on-call service. A long-standing service employee knows all about old relay controls, but must also be familiar with modern electronics. A young service technician, on the other hand, has excellent digital skills and masters fault detection with a laptop. But she also has to understand a 50-year-old control system. That is an enormous challenge.

In addition to the components, a successful re-use project also requires the right expertise.

Marc Angst: That's right. We have gained a lot of experience in recent years. Nevertheless, when we inventory and evaluate components, we often need specific help from experts. We need partners who can tell us what a component can and cannot do. We need engineers, installation companies, façade builders or the original manufacturers. Ideally, we can give this company the job of removing and reinstalling the components and supplying the appropriate spare parts. But not all manufacturers are prepared to do this. They often say: I'll be happy to sell you a window, but only a new one.
Bernhard Emch: That's an extremely important aspect. Right from the start, we placed great importance on creating durable lifts and being able to modernize them. The components of a lift have very different lifetimes. While the electronics have to be replaced after 12 to 15 years, a well-made steel guide rail will in principle last forever. But the quality has to be right, of course. If you reduce the dimensions of the steel parts to such an extent that they are also worn out after 15 years, it really no longer makes sense to modernize the lift.

Financial considerations certainly also play a role on the part of the client.
Bernhard Emch: If we offer a customer the modernization of an old lift system, but at the same time he receives a cheaper offer for a total replacement, this is difficult for him to understand at first. However, a carefully modernized lift has a longer service life than a new standard lift, which may have to be replaced after just 15 years. In addition, often only the lift itself is budgeted for. The client overlooks the fact that door frames have to be cut out when installing a new system and that many on-site adjustments are required that are not included in the quotation. If you now factor in the environmental costs, if you consider the amount of grey energy that is wasted when an entire lift is thrown away - then you should realize that modernization makes more sense. But as I said: at first glance, replacing a wheel seems very expensive compared to the cost of a new lift system.

Marc Angst: The cost factor is understandably relevant for customers. We are also constantly confronted with the hope that a re-use project will be cheaper than a new build. After all, the components are second-hand! We always have to dash this hope. We're already happy if we can do it for the same price.
Bernhard Emch: The fact that a lot can be done in terms of ecology and sustainability, but nothing is free, has not yet reached people's minds.
Marc Angst: And that climate protection will cost us much more in other ways! Meanwhile, we can communicate this quite well - at least to our clients, who are already aware of the issue and recognize the added value.

Costs are one thing, safety and certification are another. What strategies are there for dealing with this?
Marc Angst: The fact that there is no guarantee on second-hand components is a regular topic. We are involved in a research project by commercial lawyers at the ZHAW that deals with the legal aspects of re-use. The law simply does not provide for a component to be reused. There is a lot of gray area. Who bears what risk? We have now developed a contractual cascade in which the duty of care of all parties involved is guaranteed through paid additional inspections. In this way, we ensure that only flawless components are used. What's more, the warranty expires after 2 to 5 years. Well-selected components already have a few years under their belt. If they are then found to be good, why do they still need a guarantee? Well understood: We naturally require the usual warranties for installation and new work on components. But there are certainly other requirements for a lift.
Bernhard Emch: The question of certification is definitely an issue for us. A modernized lift cannot comply with all the guidelines that apply to a new installation. If our customers require proof, we issue a certificate of conformity in which we take responsibility and confirm that everything we have renewed is compatible with the latest safety requirements.
Marc Angst: We deal with such replacement measures on a daily basis. Many of the components we use do not necessarily comply with current standards. Very often, however, simple, creative alternative measures can be found. This starts at the design stage. Talking to the building authorities also helps. The authorities are obliged to be proportionate. If the objective of the standard can also be achieved in alternative ways or is not a priority in the specific case, there are exceptions.
Bernhard Emch: The standard only describes one way in which the safety requirements can be met. If it can be proven that the safety requirement is met, you can deviate from the standard. Nevertheless, the Product Liability Act remains relevant. In the end, it's all about the claim. And there are many questions in the area of re-use that have not been legally clarified and that need to be addressed urgently.

How far along is the lift industry as a whole in rethinking circular construction?
Bernhard Emch: A lot is happening across Europe. Everywhere there is a tendency to recognize modernization as a valuable contribution to the circular economy. However, manufacturers of standard elevators are certainly finding this more difficult than small, flexible SMEs.
Marc Angst: Modernization instead of replacement must be the top priority! This is not possible without corresponding regulations, for example through an early disposal fee or the obligation to keep spare parts and provide a repair service.
Bernhard Emch: The issue not only affects manufacturing companies, but also homeowners. They must increasingly demand products that can be repaired and modernized. A rethink is needed on many levels.

Marc Angst: Maintenance is undoubtedly the most important thing. However, we will also be confronted with demolitions and temporary solutions in the future. And in these cases, it is crucial that the components remain in the cycle.
Bernhard Emch: So the next time we have to dismantle a lift, I can turn to you? Marc Angst: Absolutely. Re-use currently works best via networks. The dismantling logistics are not yet fully developed. We need to know who we can call for which component.
Bernhard Emch: And we are happy to offer our expertise and cooperation if you want to install a lift made from reused components in a reuse project.

Are low-threshold networks like this helping to professionalize reuse and repurposing?
Marc Angst: Yes. And demand is growing strongly.

Marc Angst left and Bernhard Emch center in conversation with Hochparterre editor Marcel Bächtiger right. Photo: Lukáš Kálna