Elevator HVAC Design Requirements

Elevators are a staple in most modern buildings of more than one story. Chapter 30 of the International Building Code (IBC) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)-A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators both cover elevator requirements. The increased application of machine room-less elevators has resulted in confusion on how to apply code requirements when there is no machine room. This column discusses mechanical design considerations for elevators, code and ASME implications, and architectural coordination. It does not address elevators in high-rise buildings, which the IBC defines as “a building with an occupied floor located more than 75 ft (22 860 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.”