With more than 30 years experience in the lift and escalator industry Peter Boardman has in-depth knowledge of all key sector and latest regulatory issues, with a particular expert involvement in Traffic Analysis and ‘High Rise’ projects.

After completing an Indentured Technician Apprenticeship with The Express Lift Company attaining the Full Technological Certificate in Control Systems, Industrial Electronics and Power Engineering, Peter worked for the Installation Test Department and then Service management for the company in both Manchester and London.

In 1981 Peter co-founded Dunbar and Boardman and has gone on to expand the company from a two-man operation to the international company it is today, with over 40 employees across 14 locations worldwide.

Email Peter Boardman
T +44 (0)20 7739 5093
M +44 (0)7971 149 500

After completing an Indentured Technician Apprenticeship with the Express Lift Company, Chris Meering worked in a sales role for the company for a further five years, covering contract control, project management and sales.

Leaving to take up the role of London Sales Manager at Schindler Lifts UK, Chris worked on a majority of large prestige developments throughout London before joining Dunbar and Boardman in 1991.

Working as an elevator and escalator consultant on major new and refurbishment projects, with a particular focus on initial and early design, traffic analysis and specifications.

Email Chris Meering
T +44 (0)20 7739 5093
M +44 (0)7971 149 507

Having completed an Indentured Apprenticeship with Keighley Lifts in the 1968 Grenville Brookfield moved through all departments through from Installation, Service and Sales to gain and in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the lift Industry.

Around 1990 Schindler bought Keighley  Lifts and after a period as a Branch Manager in Manchester. Grenville joined Dunbar and Boardman in 1994.

Email Grenville Brookfield
T +44 (0)114 263 1333
M +44 (0)7971 149 521

Having completed the Indentured Technician Apprenticeship with Otis Elevator Company in 1978, Vance Cunningham spent 20 years with Otis.

Initially working on the installation of new equipment, service and testing, before rising to Sales Manager and finally Business Development Manager. Vance was responsible for the management of sales teams and incorporating project management of numerous projects from conception to completion.

Joining Dunbar and Boardman’s Birmingham office in 1994, Vance was responsible for Regional Business Development and the project management of numerous new installation and refurbishment projects for various clients across the region.

Email Vance Cunningham
T +44 (0)121 523 1130
M +44 (0)7971 149 512

Having completed the Indentured Technician Apprenticeship with Otis Elevators in 1984, ONC in Electrical & Electronic Engineering and HNC in Electrical Power Engineering, Gary spent 18 years with Otis.

Starting out as a service Engineer for the Hotel Service Department, rising to Senior National Account Executives and finally Project Manager for major construction/modernisation project

Gary joined Dunbar & Boardman in 2002 working as elevator consultant responsible for project management of major new and refurbishment projects along with maintenance management duties.

Gary is now a Regional Director for the Middle East area covering our office locations in Bahrain and Qatar. Gary also works on UK contracts with other team members.

Email Gary Avis
T  +44 (0)20 7739 5093
M +44 (0)7971 149 514

Phil worked for a National M&E Consultants for nearly 20 years, the latter 13 years of which he was an Associate Partner and Chief Lift Engineer.
He was amongst the first in the world to graduate from the now widely acclaimed MSc in Lift Engineering.

He joined Dunbar & Boardman in 2003 working as elevator consultant responsible for project management of major refurbishment projects along with some major project design in the
Middle East.
Phil is now a Regional Director for the North covering our office locations in Edinburgh, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne with a view to also take responsibility for Leeds and Sheffield in future.

Email Phil Mantey
T +44 (0)191 3506043
M +44 (0)7971 149516

We are proud to be members or associates of the following organisations:

One of the keys to the successful performance of a building is the ability to move people and goods quickly and efficiently.

The selection of appropriate vertical transportation systems is therefore vital. Our services for New Equipment projects include:

• Detailed Design
• Contract Review
• Technical Review
• Project Management
• Commissioning

Dunbar and Boardman provides services to any organisation that requires independent advice on the assessment, acquisition and management of lift, escalator systems or mechanical handling equipment.

From conducting surveys and presenting reports to the preparation of specifications, awarding of contracts, project managing and final commissioning, the services offered by Dunbar and Boardman include:

• Specification
• Special Requirements
• New Developments
• Aesthetics & Finishes
• Optional features
• CDM

We provide a wide range of services in relation to commercial issues.

We act as an expert witness in both commercial and injury cases, offer technical reviews of existing schemes or building and provide due diligence reports during the purchase of properties.

Dunbar and Boardman provides a tailored solution to meet your individual requirements and our services include:

• Budget information to enhance financial planning
• Advice on health and safety requirements
• Technical and logistical problem solving
• Advice relating to Statutory Inspections
• Project planning

Dunbar and Boardman can draw on over 35 years experience working with the construction industry and associated trades in the areas of façade and building access.

Dunbar and Boardman works on new equipment, refurbishment and ongoing maintenance projects to achieve a practical, efficient and economical solution for all access equipment, all in accordance with current BS/BSEN building regulations and health and safety directives.

The company can advise on all aspects of access, including:

• Façade cleaning
• Maintenance cradles
• Gantries
• Roof and atria access
• Walkways
• Balustrades
• Stairways

We provide Maintenance Management services to undertake the management of the vertical transport or access equipment portfolio cost effectively whilst ensuring maximum service and improved operational standards of quality and safety.

The benefits of our Maintenance Management solutions include:

• Demonstrably cost effective maintenance
• Control of annual expenditure
• A unified approach to such items as Health & Safety and British Standard requirements
• Reductions in client administration time

This is increasingly a significant factor applicable to modern building design and management. Clients look to minimise energy usage and subsequently costs through the use of efficient equipment and design as well as wanting to be seen to conform to environmentally responsible business practices.

Dunbar and Boardman can undertake a review and advise accordingly. Energy efficient solutions differ with each project but a brief overview of the sort of options available are outlined alphabetically below:

Destination Control

This is where you enter your desired floor in a central control panel before being directed to a specific lift rather than jumping into the first one that arrives. This optimises traffic making it potentially possible to reduce number of lifts and or derive a better service in a building. This

can achieve energy savings of up to 25 – 30 % of a lift system.

Eco Efficient Operation – Escalators
Can save up to 30% energy by slowing down or stopping when not in use or increasing the efficiency of the motor in periods of low use.

Hydraulic Lifts v Electric Traction Lifts
Hydraulic lifts are energy inefficient in comparison with electric traction lifts. Hydraulic lifts should be avoided where energy efficiency is a consideration.

Life Span
Most lift and BMU installations have a design life of 20-25 years more with good maintenance. Hydraulic lifts have ‘issues’ with the oil disposal and oil leakage and ongoing maintenance etc.

Lift Drives
Soft start & stop - electronic device to control parameters coupled with variable frequency drive systems. To the non-engineers among us, this just translates into a smooth ride.

Lighting
LED and ‘eco’ efficient florescent lighting can reduce energy consumption by 80% in comparison to fluorescent lights.

Smart lighting can make additional savings meaning the lights are activated only when the lifts are in use.

Regenerative Drive Features
Regenerative drive converts the excess energy generated by an lift into electricity that can be reused elsewhere in the building. With conventional drives, this untapped energy is converted into heat, which then needs to be removed from the building by air conditioning systems.

A regenerative drive has a substantial impact on an elevator’s energy consumption and is, therefore, a must-have feature when selecting an eco-efficient elevator for a green building

When this is used in conjunction with variable frequency drive systems it can save between 40-50% energy in total.

Standby Solutions 
‘Powers down’ the equipment when not in use which provides substantial reduced energy use particularly in buildings where there are periods of inactivity.

Traffic Analysis 
To consider the demand and movement patterns for the building by undertaking an assessment involving the design team, this determines the optimum number and size of lifts based on the anticipated passenger demand.

The total energy consumption of the installation is also dependant on planning issues. If stairs are accessible, attractive and adjacent to the lifts, there is likely to be a reduction in the use of lifts for short trips.  It is also good to avoid over-sizing of lifts, as larger lifts result in greater inertia, larger motors and more energy use. However the focus should be on appropriately sized lifts rather than ‘the smaller the better’ in order not to compromise the service.

Variable Frequency Control of Lifts
VVVF (variable voltage, variable frequency) drive systems are essentially the newest form of drive system. An old drive system (i.e DC drive systems) had the motors and generator which results in energy being lost due to the number of elements/motors employed by the system. VVVF drive systems however encompass the technology of the equipment in one control system

therefore reducing ‘lost’ energy.

VVVF drive systems are the key to efficient lifts. Energy Savings can be as high as 30% in comparison to older DC equipment.

If a building has modern equipment it is still possible to save energy in the way that the equipment is management. Dunbar & Boardman, as part of its maintenance management and audit system, is able to ensure that vertical transportation equipment is maintained in the most cost effective, efficient and appropriate manner.

We provide services to clients in relation to Commercial issues, including acting as an expert witness in both commercial and injury cases as well as technical reviews of existing schemes or Buildings to ensure they meet prospective clients needs and due diligence reports for the purchase of properties.

Following the client’s initial brief conduct a complete survey of existing vertical transport or access equipment and formulate a schedule of dilapidation and a detailed Health & Safety at Work, Code of Practice and current standards requirements. The service also provides technical identification of equipment, failures performance and evaluation of existing installations, advice on maintenance quality and pertinent contractual issues.

The service can be tailored to suit individual needs and requirements - A selection of features incorporated into existing agreements include:

• Budget information to enhance financial planning
• Advice on essential Health & Safety at work requirements and planning.
• Selection and management of specialist vendors to execute associated works.
• Any works that are required outside the service agreement to be evaluated with any necessary recommendation. Quotations obtained and pricing evaluated.
• Analysis of annual expenditure with review for improvement (performance & cost)

• Provide advice and guidance on annual expenditure to meet Client Management Policy.
• Advice relating to Statutory Inspections.
• Standard costs for any non-contract works.
• Management of Competitive Tendering process, evaluate and recommend
• Project planning
• Problem solving (Technical and Logistical)
• Planned repair schedule

Whilst it is preferable to be consulted from the concept of a particular vertical transportation scheme the company can advise at any stage, whether it be tender evaluation, supervising the installation programme or witness testing.

We also provide technical reviews of installations about to be handed over to ensure that the equipment meets the design specification and all installation defects have been completed to the correct standards.

We enjoy working with architects, the challenge of ensuring that the interplay between form and function hits the right note is at the heart of what we do well. People's perceptions of what makes a successful building is often closely tied to their experience of moving within it. A solution that is highly functional, and works to enhance its form is our primary objective.

Our London headquarters is in the centre of London's architecture district - we're only round the corner, so pop in and see what we're working on …

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Project/Location
Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC), Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Client
Atkins

Outline of Project
Secalt fully powered BMU systems were specified by Atkins to be installed in both towers.

Appointment
Appointed to witness test and commission the works, following completion we were awarded the contract to manage the site maintenance work.

Challenges
The primary challenges were to devise a safe method of work and specify a system of cleaning.

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Project/Location
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Client
HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum / Atkins

Lift Contractor
Mitsubishi Electric

Outline of Project
The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: literally, Tower of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel which describes itself as the world's only "7-star" property. It stands on an artificial island 280 metres (919 ft) off-shore from Jumeirah Beach. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and inspired by the sail of a dhow, the traditional Arabian sailing vessel.

Appointment
Dunbar and Boardman was involved with the scheme from conception stage: assisting with planning the space accommodation for the 18 elevators and 2 escalators. D&B’s role included specification writing and contractor evaluation and the firm remained involved with the project throughout key stages to final commissioning.

Challenges
The Tower has 202 suites over 28 levels; each suite is two storeys in height, equating to a 60 storey building. The tower is served by 18 lifts including the private lift to the two Royal Suites occupying the 25th floor and the express glass lifts to the Al Muntaha – the sky-view restaurant which is located 200m above sea-level.

Completion
1999

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Project/Location
John Lewis, Oxford Street UK

Client
John Lewis Partnership Limited

Escalator Contractor
Kone

Outline of Project
In 2005, Dunbar & Boardman reviewed the vertical transport in John Lewis’s flagship store in Oxford Street. The recommendation was to install escalators in the two light wells facilitating the removal of existing escalators which impinged on retail space. The proposal was approved by the Board and works commenced in 2006.

Challenges
The works necessitated a number of street closures which had to be carefully managed and the work had to take account of the store’s situation in the heart of London’s West End The Design Team and Main Contractor did an excellent job keeping the store open throughout the works and because of this the client kept a sense of perspective and good humour throughout a difficult period of trading.

Completion
One phase was completed prior to the Christmas season and the second phase was completed in the spring of 2007.

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Project/Location
Regent Street, London, UK

Client
Austin Reed

Lift Contractor
ThyssenKrupp Elevator

Outline of Project
Austin Reed opened his Regent Street store in 1926 and promoted it as the first menswear department store in Britain. In 2002 a major refit of the flagship store commenced to support the transformation of  the Austin Reed brand as ‘Modern British’. This was reflected throughout the store design including bespoke scenic lifts which were installed in the atrium area.

Appointment
Dunbar and Boardman was appointed to work with the design team to develop the design and delivery of the glass lift from concept through to a fully functional installation. Leading the design of the components D&B worked with Thyssenkrupp to deliver a centrepiece for the newly refurbished store.

Challenges
Every building in Regent Street is protected as a Listed Building, of at least Grade II status. Working with architects JHP, D&B developed a bespoke scenic lift design which achieved a wide angle view of the store when travelling.

Completion
2003

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Project/Location
London UK

Client
JP Morgan

Contractor
Thyssenkrupp Elevator UK

Outline of Project
125 London Wall is an architecturally significant building in the City of London, with 18 floors spanning 82 m (269 ft). One wing crosses over London Wall, adjacent to the modern thoroughfare running along the perimeter of the City of London’s Roman wall. The building had two banks of five lifts in a low and high rise configuration. The original 1991 passenger flows were no longer adequate for the demands of the building.

Appointment
Dunbar and Boardman was appointed to undertake a traffic study to determine a solution. D&B combined the existing two groups of lifts into a single 10 car group and applied a Destination Control System.  Using this technology has optimised the level of service to all floors and achieved a 30% improvement in lift service. This was one of the first Destination Controls in the UK and set the standard for many tall building lift control systems.

Challenges
All daytime work had to be undertaken without removing lifts from service while lifts could be selectively taken out of service on the night shift.

Completion
2003

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Project/Location
Portsmouth UK

Client
Portsmouth County Council

Lift Contractor
Maspero Italia / Cotswold Lifts

Outline of Project
The Spinnaker Tower is a 170m (558ft) high tower in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. It is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour. There is one internal lift which travels at an incline of 4 degrees to the vertical and one external lift which travels 105m up the ‘leg’ of the structure. The external lift had never been put into public service due to reliability problems so the local authority appointed Dunbar and Boardman to assist in the process.

Appointment
During the closing stages of construction PCC became aware that a number of problems existed with regards to the installation and commissioning of the external tower. The lift failed to provide reliability and never went into public service. D&B has been appointed to specify works to attain a more reliable installation whilst retaining the infrastructure of the lift.

Challenges
D&B provided impartial advice and recommended that the lift was not put into service despite the contractual implications of it being late. D&B is continuing to work on a bespoke installation to resolve reliability issues, whilst retaining the unique concept of a lift in such a location.

Completion
Ongoing

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Project/Location  
Middlesbrough UK

Client
Middlesbrough Council
 
Outline of Project
Middlesbrough Transporter bridge is an iconic structure of the early 1900’s reflecting the dynamic industrial heritage of the area. It has a suspended ‘gondola’ which can carry up to 6 cars and has a walkway at the upper level which is open to visitors. In 1985 it was granted Grade II*.

Challenges
The study undertaken by Dunbar and Boardman considered the exposed location at the lower reaches of the Tees estuary where historical wind velocity records were reviewed.

Challenges cont. The solution had not only to be able to withstand the severe weather conditions but also had to blend with the structure in order to secure English Heritage approval.

The developed solution was to provide two scenic lifts with a rack and pinion drive and wireless communications to eliminate the need for travelling cables.

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Project/Location
Knightsbridge London UK

Client
Harvey Nichols

Contractor
Lifts – Axis Elevators

Outline of Project
Harvey Nichols' flagship store opened in its present form on the corner of Knightsbridge and Sloane Street in the 1880s. There are a total of eight floors of fashion, beauty and home collections with the Fifth Floor dedicated to Food and Restaurants.

Appointment
Dunbar and Boardman was appointed to review the vertical transport within the store and devised a masterplan to enhance the service but maintain retail operations. Six lifts have been renewed sequentially and the escalators are to be replaced in the future.

Challenges
Great care was taken to ensure the safety of shoppers and staff in the building while work was carried out. The retail environment was maintained throughout with minimal impact to the experience of the building’s users. The works are required to maintain the stores' pre-eminence on the 'High Sreet'.

Completion
Lifts 2009.
Escalators TBA

Year
2005 – 0n going

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Put simply, Destination Selection Control is a system which optimises the movement of people up and down tall buildings by grouping them by their destination.

To illustrate how this works in practice, consider the following scenario: In the lift lobby of a multi-storey building there is a huge crowd of people all waiting for lifts. If individuals simply get into the first lift car that comes then that car will potentially stop at as many destinations as there are people. If however, those waiting were organised into groups going to common destinations beforehand, it will reduce the number of stops the lift has to make and, therefore time taken to travel around a tall building. This is what Destination Selection Control does.

The DSC system prompts lift passengers to use a keypad on each floor to indicate their floor destination. The system automatically determines which lift will deliver them to their destination most efficiently and assign the optimal lift car to the passenger. This helps reduce passenger waiting times and the repeated stops typically associated with traditional pushbutton lifts. It also minimises power consumption by eliminating unnecessary starting and stopping.

The system continually calculates traffic patterns and usage, constantly monitors floor requests and groups passengers going to common destinations. The system can also identify which cars are filled to the desired loading capacity by monitoring the weight inside of each car.

DSC is used extensively in hotels throughout the world and also in hospitals which tend to have a large transient visiting population. It is becoming more widely adopted because of the benefits it offers to passenger traffic handling and will ultimately become the norm for lifts in the same way as two button directional control did when it replaced single button control.

A significant advantage of DSC is the flexibility it allows: lifts serving different floor levels can be linked in a single group and different sized cars and different speeds of lift can also be combined.

On new installations this has reduced the required number of lifts and has improved the handling capacity and journey times by more than 15-30% in existing buildings.

We have specified and completed the following projects using this technology:

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Location
Birmingham UK

Client
University of Birmingham

Contractor
Façade Hoists

Completion
2008

Outline of project
The original building had opening windows. As part of upgrading the entire property, air conditioning was added and as a result the windows were sealed which therefore required external cleaning.

Project/Location - Intercontinental Hotel / One Hamilton Place

Client - Intercontinental Hotels

Lift Contractor  - Axis Elevators

Outline of Project -  In 2008 when the hotel reopened after an internal refit,  it became evident that the lifts were underperforming and that the equipment largely speaking hadn’t been updated since the early seventies.

Appointment – Dunbar and Boardman were asked to specify and Project manage a complete ‘behind the scenes’ modernisation.

Challenges - The task was to modernise ten lifts within ten months. Coordination with the Director of engineering by D+B was essential and the project concluded on time and within budget.

Completion May 2010

Project/Location – Hilton London Metropole Hotel / Edgware Road

Client – Hilton Hotels

Lift Contractor – Axis Elevators

Outline of Project – The existing scenic lift was a low speed direct acting hydraulic with a buried ram in a glazed stairwell shaft.  Due to the length of travel and long average waiting times, the lift speed needed to be increased. The hotel management were also keen to use the existing machine room space for storage etc.  This was achieved by means of a bespoke MRL arrangement contained within the existing glazed shaft enclosure.

Appointment – The hotel Facilities Manager invited Dunbar & Boardman to carry out a feasibility study and subsequently to specify and Project Manage the scenic lift modernisation.

Challenges –.  All surface hydraulic equipment was removed and work was carried out with the hotel fully operational with minimum disruption to guests.  A guided counterweight also had to be incorporated in an unobtrusive position within the existing glazed enclosure to ensure the installation remained aesthetically pleasing.  The design had to take into account the very large difference in dynamic and structural loadings (due to the change from direct acting hydraulic to MRL) and minimise potential transmission of vibration to the structure.

Completed – May 2011

Location London UK

Building population 4000 people

Client GVA West End Management

Contractor Schindler

Appointment 5 Years

Equipment 12 lifts, 2 escalators, 1 Wheelchair hoist, 1 scissor platform

Outline of Support Services To support the on site Facilities Team with the provision of reliable, efficient, safe and effective vertical transportation systems within the property. 6 monthly quality audits for all equipment, ongoing proactive analysis of any equipment malfunctions and reporting of reliability trends, management and review of the LOLER Report actions, health and safety planning and to chair regular contractor review meetings.

Appointment - Dunbar & Boardman were appointed to support the site Facilities Management Team on all aspects of managing the vertical transportation equipment and service delivery within the property to ensure maximum equipment availability, minimum unplanned downtime and service disruption, compliance with all health and safety and LOLER requirements and maximum user satisfaction.

Dunbar & Boardman were also appointed to produce a long term strategy and plan to deliver a reliable, energy efficient and effective vertical transport system for the next 20 years.  We have subsequently been appointed to implement the refurbishment of the equipment over a 4 year period.  With reduced lift availability throughout this period,  minimising service disruption to the building is key to the success of both projects.

Challenges - With 4000 tenants, maintaining an effective transportation system during the refurbishment works requires efficient and concise communication, planning, review, understanding and risk analysis to exceed their expectations and individual business requirements.

Project/Location
‘Opening up the Soane’, Sir John Soane’s Museum/ London

Client – The Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum

Lift Contractor - Axis Elevators

Outline of Project - The architect Sir John Soane was appointed professor of architecture at the Royal Academy in 1806. He soon began to open his house up to his architecture students to allow them access to his books, casts and models which resulted in 12-14 Lincolns Inn Fields being referred to as an ‘Academy of Architecture’.
 
Soane negotiated an Act of Parliament to preserve his house and collection and ensure that it remained accessible for students and the general public. The act came into force upon his death in 1837.

As part of a wide-ranging review since 2005 of how the Museum’s three buildings, Nos. 12-14 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, are used and how to improve visitor circulation at a time of ever-increasing visitor numbers, the Trustees have been able to consider how they might fulfill this duty.   As well as doing so, ‘Opening up the Soane’, a £7 million project in three phases which began on site in March 2011, will open up and restore more of the Museum at No. 13, including Soane’s private apartments, for the benefit of the public.
Opening up the Soane is funded by the Monument Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund and many other generous charitable trusts and individuals. Support for disability access in particular has been provided by the City Bridge Trust and the Tana Trust.

Appointment – Dunbar and Boardman were asked to find an access solution that was sensitive to the interior and exterior of these Grade I listed buildings to provide access for mobility impaired visitors to all floors from basement to second floor.
 
Challenges – The Museum and its architects, Julian Harrap Architects identified an area in No. 12 which was originally a series of small closets off the staircase.  The floors and ceilings of these closets and much of their plasterwork, was removed in 1969 with the intention of inserting a lift – which was never put in.  In recent years floors had been reinstated and the spaces used as cupboards and the whole as a services riser: it provides an obvious vertical connection between the floors.  This restricted area directly adjoins No. 13, the main museum, and in order to serve all the floors required, the lift will need to have doors on 3 sides of the car.  It will also have to fit into the constraints of the available space and accommodate the requirements of minimum headroom, minimum pit depth and machine space.

need to have doors on 3 sides of the car.  It will also have to fit into the constraints of the available space and accommodate the requirements of minimum headroom, minimum pit depth and machine space. Axis Elevators were successful in providing a compliant scheme and the necessary engineering experience to overcome the challenges involved; a drum drive was used to maximize shaft space.
A platform lift will also be installed to provide access from the pavement level to the Basement Front Area of No. 12, but again this must be sympathetic to the external features and architecture of Soane’s buildings.

Completion - The first phase of the scheme is due to be completed in 2012, the 200th anniversary of the building of No 13, with the final completion of the restoration works after two further phases in 2014.

2012 Another welcome note

2012 New consultants

2011 Hello & Goodbye

Dunbar and Boardman build on Middle Eastern property activity with the opening of a new office in Doha

Dunbar and Boardman establish regional headquarters in the North of England

Four Seasons Hotel in Dubai calls on Dunbar and Boardman

Eastern Promise for Dunbar and Boardman with the opening of an office in Bahrain

Issue 63 - Questioning the ongoing efficacy of the application of the UK SAFed LG1 Guidelines

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Focus on lifts and elevators

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Dunbar and Boardman build on Middle Eastern property activity with the opening of a new office in Doha

London, 11th May 2009

Dunbar and Boardman has announced the opening of a new office in Doha as the firm continues to expand its Middle Eastern operation.

The Doha office, which is being headed-up by Ed Seeley, has been set up to build on the company’s recent success in Bahrain and Dubai. Working with local partner Blue Salon, Dunbar and Boardman is focusing on Doha’s growing commercial property and leisure sectors.

Peter Boardman, managing director of Dunbar and Boardman, said, “We are delighted to be expanding our operations into Doha and broadening our reach in the Middle East. We have been in the region for the last 12 months

and we have been pleased with the quantity and scope of schemes we have been involved with. Given the difficult climate globally, we are particularly encouraged by our continued growth in this region.”

Dunbar and Boardman launched the Bahrain office, supported and hosted by ITICO, in April 2008 and has worked on various projects including the commissioning process of the iconic Bahrain World Trade Centre.

Historically, the company has also been involved in the development of numerous other projects in the region, most notably the Burj al Arab/Jumeirah Beach Hotels in Dubai. In the last 18 months Dunbar and Boardman has opened a new office in Cork, Ireland, and amalgamated its Manchester and Liverpool offices to create a combined northwest of England office in Warrington.

Dunbar and Boardman establish regional headquarters in the North of England

Dunbar & Boardman's northern operation has moved to new premises at Birchwood Park, Warrington.
 
The new office is situated within a 123 acre mixed-use business park located close to the M6 and M62 motorway interchange, providing excellent links to the surrounding region and beyond.
 
After an initial base in Knutsford, Dunbar & Boardman opened offices in Liverpool and Manchester. Now, after 10 years, they are consolidating their operations into one, to offer a more 'joined up' service.
 

Regional Director, Vance Cunningham, said: "With the ease of today's communications, there was no need for us to maintain two offices so close together. Warrington is one of the new growing commercial centres in the north, and access is excellent. We are confident this move will make commercial sense to clients and staff alike."

Growing presence in Ireland as Dunbar and Boardman opens office in Cork City

Dunbar and Boardman is pleased to announce the opening of its Cork office. Dunbar and Boardman has had a presence in Ireland since 2001 and has worked on both public and private sector projects.

Continued demand for its services across Ireland has led to the opening of the office in Cork, which will provide a local presence for clients across the Southern Counties commercial, retail and pharmaceutical sectors.

The new office, situated in The Atrium Building in Blackpool, is to be managed by Cork resident Mike Purdy, who has over 20 years of experience in the lift and escalator industry and completed a Master of Science degree in lift engineering in 2004.

Regional Director, Vance Cunningham, said: “The opening of our Cork office is a significant step for Dunbar and Boardman as we look to expand on the range of clients we service across Ireland. The Dublin office has worked with high-profile clients such as Croke Park, Cadburys and the Central Bank and we are looking forward to becoming involved in exciting projects across the country.”

Four Seasons Hotel in Dubai calls on Dunbar and Boardman

Having been involved with the Jumeirah Beach hotel, the Burg Al Arab and Mall of the Emirates, Dunbar and Boardman continue their work in Dubai with an appointment for the Four Seasons Hotel in Festival City Dubai.

The five star plus 34 storey hotel and 43 storey residential project is located on the banks of Dubai creek and will make a unique feature to complement the numerous tower blocks on the Dubai skyline.
 
Due to open in 2010 the 360 plus rooms add to the quality of Dubai accommodation and the city’s plans to increase tourism to 15 million people by 2012.

Eastern Promise for Dunbar and Boardman with the opening of an office in Bahrain

April 2008

Dunbar and Boardman has made a bold move into the Middle East, with the relocation of Director Grenville Brookfield to Bahrain.
 
Following on from a highly-successful trip to the region by Managing Director Peter Boardman, the firm decided to develop a permanent presence in Bahrain to take advantage of some very promising prospects in the region.

Issue 63

In My Opinion

"Questioning the ongoing efficacy of the application of the UK SAFed LG1 Guidelines"

I have formed a view that the 2006 revision of the SAFed Guidelines and the implied removal of periodic testing, has unbalanced a system that had evolved from the PM7 regime, which had functioned fairly effectively despite the various anomalies in interpretation and application. 

Contractors undertaking supplementary tests have developed their own forms of test certificate.

This is permitted under the Introduction to Annex A of the 2006 Guidelines. However, the specific questions relating to equipment condition posed in the SAFed Form are often omitted from the contractor’s certificates. These often take the form of simple Y/N tick box responses in relation to whether a particular element of the equipment is ‘satisfactory’.

On querying the extent of the SAFed requirement with a number of service engineers who had undertaken supplementary tests I discovered that the engineers were unfamiliar with the actual questions posed in the SAFed Form and the associated requirements that they were being asked to verify. These engineers worked under what appeared to be a pragmatic interpretation of what might be ‘satisfactory’.

The revision of Regulation 10 of PUWER 98 on 17th September 2002 under the Health & Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 introduced what may be construed to be an absolute duty to maintain the EHSRs of the Machinery and Lifts Directives. Whilst this duty would normally be discharged through the planned preventative maintenance of the lift, the nature of the EHSRs is such that a suitable testing regime is inextricably linked to the fulfilment of this duty.

Whilst the Competent Person is required to undertake functional tests or assure the functionality of certain elements of lift equipment, these in my opinion, are not such as to adequately satisfy the requirements of Regulation 10 of PUWER. It is clear that a form of planned inspection and testing is required.

The revision to PUWER Regulation 10 also gives rise to a further issue. Installers are not currently required to identify the applicable EHSRs or the means adopted to meet these. Whilst the EHSRs and associated provisions may in most cases be fairly clear, occasions arise in which designers or installers have interpreted a particular EHSR in a way that is not immediately obvious, and may have applied solutions that require particular attention.

We also now operate in an environment in which equipment may have been installed under one of three forms of the Machinery Directive and a number of revisions to the EN81 Standards. As the Directives and Standards evolve and are updated this position will become ever more complex.

There is, in my opinion, a clear case for installers to identify all of the applicable EHSRs together with the means adopted to achieve compliance with these, in the maintenance documentation provided under the Directives. If there is a case, as our esteemed Editor suggests there may be, for an MOT type system, then such a schedule of EHSRs and safety provisions would provide the basis for testing and assessment.

When PM7 was introduced in 1977 the regulatory and market structure was relatively simple based upon the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Factories Act 1961 and/or the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 with a relatively small number of lift contractors.

There is, in my opinion, a clear case for installers to identify all of the applicable EHSRs together with the means adopted to achieve compliance with these, in the maintenance documentation provided under the Directives. If there is a case, as our esteemed Editor suggests there may be, for an MOT type system, then such a schedule of EHSRs and safety provisions would provide the basis for testing and assessment.

When PM7 was introduced in 1977 the regulatory and market structure was relatively simple based upon the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Factories Act 1961 and/or the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 with a relatively small number of lift contractors.

After all, everything must be satisfactory? Otherwise the Competent Person would have ordered a supplementary test? And of course, the Competent Person is solely responsible for calling for the supplementary test!

This insidious undermining of the contractors management responsibility has, in my experience, been compounded by the non-prescriptive reporting format advocated in the 2006 revision of the SAFed Guidelines. I have recently encountered a number of cases in which the Competent Person has requested a copy of the actual SAFed document rather than the certificates issued by contractors. This in my view is quite clearly reflective of a reduced confidence in the system.

In the case of failure and/or accident, and with the benefit of hindsight, the question often arises ‘should the Competent Person not have detected this, or called for a supplementary test?’ I guess the regulatory answer, in most cases, is yes! However, the practicalities are wholly different. The Guidelines, in relation to various supplementary tests, require that the Competent Person should; ... consider calling for ..., call for ..., give consideration to calling for ..., may call for ..., make an assessment ..., determine the intervals of ...,  has reason to believe ..., should consider if a more detailed supplementary test is required ..., etc. And of course, undertake the proper thorough engineering and safety examination as well! It is a wonder that any LOLER inspections are actually completed.

The majority of personnel currently working in the inspection and lift industry are of an age that I might respectfully refer to as being on the older side. Many will be looking at retirement in the next 10-years or so. The accumulation of experience requires time and an exposure to the appropriate environment. If we are to rely upon the training and experience of the Competent Person and impose such an onerous level of responsibility, then a far greater level of support and transparency is required of the industry and its representative trade bodies.

The application of risk assessment and other forms of safety assurance may well be appropriate in relation to equipment design.

However, periodic testing, in my view, provides the most appropriate form of safety assurance in relation to the ongoing maintenance and safety of equipment in use. A more prescriptive regime of periodic testing may of course continue to be supported by the Competent Person’s authority to call for additional supplementary tests should he or she determine that conditions warrant.

Eur Ing Colin J Craney BSc (Hons) LLB (Hons) MSc LLM MBA CEng MCIBSE CMIOSH ACIArb MCMI

Colin Craney has 34-years lift industry experience, initially with Otis Elevator Co. and more recently with Dunbar & Boardman. Colin is a UK Chartered Engineer and member of CIBSE, European Engineer, Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner and Chartered Member of the Chartered Institution of Safety and Health (IOSH).

Colin is also a member of the Chartered Management Institute, an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a Barrister, having been called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.

Areas of interest and expertise include the EC Directives, the law and regulatory compliance applicable to the lift industry, health and safety in the lift industry, competition and intellectual property law, incident and failure investigation, dispute resolution and Expert Witness. Colin Craney is a Consulting Engineer with Dunbar & Boardman, the UK’s largest and foremost lift and escalator consultancy, and may be contacted at colincraney@dunbarboardman.com

Issue 63

2002 – AJ Focus - Lifts and Escalators

While Architects have to balance aesthetic and urban considerations with the client's requirements prior to detail design, the lift and escalator consultant has a different set of priorities. Our primary function is collectively making the building-investment economics stand up. With too few lifts and escalators, the circulation fails and the rental levels suffer; too many lifts and we take too much space and, yes, the rental income will drop as a result.

Up to Standard

The present British Standard for lifts is known as BSEN 81. Part 1 for traction equipment and part 2 for hydraulic equipment. And the modernisation of lifts is still carried out under BS 5655 part 11 for traction lifts, however this standard is about to be superseded. Requirements for Fire-fighting lifts are encompassed in the British Standard BS 5588.

The principle criteria for the provision of lifts are: over 18m travel above ground floor, over 9.5m travel to basements or a single area 900m square at any level above ground. There should be a minimum of one eight-person 630-Kg capacity with Class O finishes within a travel distance of 30m-40m from each other depending on the route for hose reels.

Traffic guidance

Interval times should not exceed 30 seconds. The amount of passenger traffic transported is described as 'handling capacity' and measured as a percentage over five minutes. British Standards advise that, for a multi-let property, a lift system should handle 12% of the building population above the main floor in five minutes. Significantly it also states that for a single-let property, the lifts should move 17% of the population over the same period. However the British Council of offices (BCO) does not make this differentiation and advises 15% handling capacity whatever the nature of the tenancy.

It is easy to fall into the trap of considering that a multi-let property is simply a building with more than one tenant.

Whereas in fact if a collection of the tenants occupy more than two floors and represent a significant critical mass or a 'head office' function, it is reasonable to assume that there will be inter-floor traffic. Lift traffic, in turn, increases demands on the system and service expectations. This then becomes a special case.

For 'tall' buildings a slightly different methodology applies, but this is perhaps a subject for another occasion.

In summary, the entire subject of lift traffic hinges on the perceived density of occupation. Architects can often be wise before the event and opt for a lightly populated space. The BCO follows suit and considers 14m square per person as a base line whereas 10-12m square per person would be a wiser choice.

Keeping in step

Staircases can provide a useful function in the planning process for vertical transportation. They should be accessible in their location and will divert traffic away for the lift cores. In short the quality of staircases and their accessibility can draw high levels of traffic which can avert expenditure for the provision of additional lifts. Since lifts travel though the building, the use of staircases at lower levels increases the net lettable office space at higher floors.

Standard Lift Equipment

Loved by Quantity Surveyors and tolerated by Architects, standard lifts do have a purpose as they provide cost-effective solutions for most buildings. However, the designer must adhere to the sizes stated in the manufacturer's documentation.

As a general rule, lift companies often show the minimum size that they can work within, which often conflicts with their competitors. This practice can then restrict the tendering process at a later stage.

Secondary lift systems, such as fire fighting lifts, goods lifts and disabled access systems can all be dealt with quite adequately by standard solutions.

Standard glazed cars are available from some of the larger manufactures but inevitably will come with their design limitations.

Hydraulic Lifts

Historically, hydraulic lifts provided an easy solution for the low-rise market and a potential answer to planning issues on mid-rise developments.

2011 Hello and Goodbye

Colin Simpson joined us in September and is supporting our Sheffield and Birmingham offices.
He began work with Furse Lifts and latterly Thyssen Krupp, before joining us from Nottingham City Council.

Paul Hastings joined the Sheffield office from Kier/Sheffield City Council.  Paul has spent his entire working career in the lift business having effectively run the Kier lift operation and will bring a great level of experience and market knowledge generally to our business.

At the end of 2011 Dunbar and Boardman said a fond farewell to Eric Pettengell and Mick Watts who combined, served a massive 100+ years in the industry. We said thank you to both for their hard work during a lunchtime bash at the Hoxon Apprentice and wished them a relaxing and well deserved retirement.

2012  New Consultants

In January Kenneth Wright joined our Edinburgh office. Kenneth has dedicated his career to the industry starting out with Otis, he went on to form Caledonian lift services ltd and has also worked for Consult Lift Services.

In February Hamish McGlashan joined us in our London office. Hamish served an apprenticeship with Otis and worked in the UK, Africa, Lebanon and Thyssen Krupp (TKE) in Australia, China and UAE.

Also in February Dan Wickens joined us from Allianz to work in our London office. Dan served in HM Royal Navy and has worked for both Kone and TKE before becoming a Statutory Inspector with Allianz.

2012 Another welcome note

A big welcome from the team to Matt Revitt who has just joined Dunbar and Boardman from Focus FM.

Matt’s industry experience spans over twenty five years beginning at Express Lift company, on to Otis and UK lifts before his more recent roles as a consultant for MTT Elevate and Focus FM.

Matt will apply his experience across all of Dunbar and Boardman’s client base.