Elevators Are Both a Code Requirement and an Architectural Design Element
Elevators serve two related but distinct functions in a building: they provide vertical circulation for all building users, and they provide the accessible means of vertical circulation required by the ADA and IBC for buildings where all floors must be accessible. The design and placement of elevators is a schematic design decision that affects floor plate efficiency, structural bay layout, core design, and building operations. Understanding when elevators are required, what types are available, what their space and structural requirements are, and what accessibility standards apply is fundamental knowledge for the ARE PPD exam's building systems content.
When Elevators Are Required
The IBC does not universally require elevators in all multi-story buildings - there are exceptions for some building types. However, the ADA's accessibility requirements effectively require elevators in most multi-story buildings. The ADA requires that all floors of a building be accessible unless a specific exception applies. The key exceptions: buildings that are less than three stories in height with each story containing less than 3,000 sf of floor area, and certain building types including shopping centers, health care providers, and transportation terminals are excluded from the general story/area exceptions. Buildings occupied as private residences are not covered by the ADA, though state and local building codes may impose elevator requirements on multi-story residential buildings.
Elevator Types
Hydraulic elevators: Use a hydraulic piston to raise and lower the cab. Require a machine room adjacent to the shaft (for the hydraulic pump and fluid reservoir), though low-overhead hydraulic systems have reduced machine room requirements. Limited to low-rise applications (typically up to 5–6 stories) because hydraulic systems are inefficient and slow at greater heights. Less energy efficient than traction elevators. Require no penthouse overhead machinery room.
Traction elevators (electric): Use electric motors and steel cables (ropes) to raise and lower the cab via a counterweight system. Traditional traction elevators require a machine room above the shaft (penthouse) containing the motor, controller, and sheave. Machine room-less (MRL) traction elevators house the drive and motor in a compact unit within the hoistway, eliminating the penthouse room requirement - a significant advantage for building rooflines and floor-to-floor efficiency. Traction elevators are more energy efficient than hydraulic and are appropriate for mid- and high-rise applications with no practical height limit.
Accessible Elevator Requirements (ADA)
ADA-compliant elevator cabs must meet minimum dimensional requirements: at least 80 inches wide and 51 inches deep for a 2,000-pound cab. The cab must have: a minimum 36" clear door opening; call buttons at required mounting heights (15–54" AFF) on both the main floor and in the cab; visible and audible floor indicators; Braille floor designations; a handrail on at least one side; and emergency communications. The elevator lobby must provide a minimum 60" × 60" clear turning space. All of these requirements connect the elevator design to the ADA accessible route that links it to all accessible floors.
Key Exam Points
- ADA effectively requires elevators in most multi-story buildings; exceptions for <3 stories + <3,000 sf per floor in limited building types.
- Hydraulic: low-rise (up to ~6 stories); requires machine room adjacent to shaft; less efficient.
- Traction: mid- and high-rise; traditional requires penthouse machine room; MRL (machine room-less) eliminates penthouse.
- ADA cab: minimum 80" wide × 51" deep; 36" clear door; call buttons 15–54" AFF; Braille; handrail.
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