According to a recent report, Sky Tower in Auckland is all set to modernize its elevator system with “UltraRope hoisting technology”, which has also been selected for Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Tower. The decision to revamp the elevator in New Zealand’s tallest manmade structure was taken due to increased visit numbers and aging equipment.
The modernization process from conventional ropes to the carbon fiber-based hoisting UltraRope technology provides elevators in high-rise buildings such as Sky Tower with tangible benefits in terms of energy efficiency, longer lifetime and reduced sensitivity to building sway.
Sky Tower and SKYCITY Auckland are major tourist attractions. In addition to a 20 restaurants, cafes and bars, Sky Tower boasts two first-class hotels and the world-class SKYCITY Casino Auckland. Visitors can experience 360 degree spectacular views for up to 80 kilometers and even take a controlled free-fall to ground level at SkyJump.
Skycity’s Executive Manager for Capital Development and Facility Services, Arron Money points out, “The significance of Sky Tower as a key part of Aukland’s tourism industry can’t be understated. Maintaining and modernizing our facility is crucial to ensuring we are providing an exceptional experience for customers, ensuring people flow is optimized and visitor safety is maintained.”
The elevator modernization in Sky Tower is already underway and expected to be completed in September 2015.