In the field of sustainable constructions, ecological elevators have a very important position since they are conceived to make future buildings increasingly more environmentally friendly. Many elevator manufacturers have been speaking about ecology as a central theme for quite some time already. However, they have often focused on the motor power while neglecting other very important factors.

In order to better understand if a system is more or less ecological, one must not only focus on the motor power, but also on the product’s life cycle.

When comparing electric and hydraulic systems, we must consider both the high amount of energy needed to manufacture the electric systems and the life cycle of the same. Generally, this is much more favorable for hydraulic systems.

Also, let’s remember that hydraulic elevators do not consume energy when going down, while electric ones generally consume more energy when in standby (wait time before being called).

The total energy consumption is thus somewhat similar for both types of elevators. Nonetheless, thanks to the latest technological solutions that GMV discovered with the Fluitronic technology, the hydraulic systems have become much more efficient and ecological.

All of this is especially due to the innovative hydraulic DRY and NGV-DRY unit innovations introduced on the market.

Here are some other environmental elements to consider when comparing hydraulic elevators to electric ones:

• the total weight of hydraulic elevators is lower (about 40-60% less than that of electric systems), which means less energy consumption is needed to manufacture and transport them.
• fewer number of components are needed for hydraulic systems as they have a simple construction scheme, no counterweights or guides
• There is no need for machine rooms on the top floor, nor any need to build a supporting base in support of the system’s weight.
• A used system can easily be reused to make hydraulic systems work. The hydraulic fluid is fully recycled after 5 to 10 years of use. Furthermore, by using GMV’s ecological fluid, you can achieve more than 70% of biodegradability, which is truly advantageous for the environment.

• Hydraulic systems emit a low amount of noise thanks to the fact that the hydraulic unit can be placed outside of the elevator shaft. MRL electric elevators require that their motor be placed in the shaft. This facilitates the propagation of noise throughout the building’s floors. In order to reduce noise, the elevator shafts are separated from the residential units by implemented additional reinforced concrete (dilation) walls, or the shaft is built in the center of a staircase. Both methods take up building space and require heavy reinforced concrete constructions for which more energy is consumed.