The Role of Evacuation Elevators in Enhancing the Safety of High-Rise Buildings: A Study Based on International Standards

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor in Architecture, Imam Khomeini International University

2 M.Sc. Student of Architecture, Imam Khomeini International University

3 Associate Professor in Architecture, Imam Khomeini International University

Abstract
With the increasing construction of high-rise buildings in recent years, the need for safe and efficient solutions for evacuating occupants in emergency situations such as fires has become more pressing. Iranian building codes and regulations primarily emphasize the use of stairs as the sole escape route, and the use of evacuation elevators as a complementary option has not been given sufficient attention. However, in many developed countries, the use of evacuation elevators is considered part of a safe exit route for building occupants and standards have been developed for their design, installation, and maintenance. This research, with a focus on evacuation elevators, reviews the specialized literature, international standards, and findings of researchers in the fields of architecture, mechanical engineering, and firefighting. It should be noted that this research focuses solely on evacuation elevators and does not examine fire service elevators. Evacuation elevators are lifting systems designed for the safe evacuation of building occupants in emergency situations and differ structurally and functionally from fire service elevators, which are specifically designed for use by firefighters in rescue operations. This research is conducted in three stages, including: comprehensive collection of information from various sources and its analysis, in which key concepts and research gaps are identified, and then, national and international standards are compared and based on the findings, solutions are proposed to improve the performance of evacuation elevators in tall buildings in Iran. Given the construction of high-rise buildings, ensuring the safety of occupants during emergencies is of paramount importance. One of the effective ways to improve safety levels is the use of evacuation elevators, especially for people with physical disabilities, which provide the possibility of quick and safe evacuation from buildings. The existence of comprehensive and up-to-date standards, specialized training, and periodic inspections plays a key role in improving the performance of evacuation elevators.

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Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 22 July 2026

  • Receive Date 19 September 2024
  • Revise Date 03 January 2025
  • Accept Date 19 January 2025