Otis recognized for energy-saving technologies and environmental commitment

The Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction recognized Otis with two prestigious environmental awards for the company’s energy-saving Gen2® elevators, ReGen™ drives and TEDA manufacturing center.

Otis received the 2008 International Elevator Brand for Energy Savings award and the 2008 Benchmark Enterprise for Energy Savings and Emission Reduction award. The awards were presented at the seventh biannual China International Exhibition on the Housing Industry (CIEHI) at the Beijing Exhibition Center. The CIEHI advocates using technology to reduce energy consumption and pollution emissions in China’s cities and rural areas.

"We are honored to receive these awards, which recognize our continued commitment to providing energy-saving solutions in China and worldwide while minimizing our environmental impact in manufacturing such products,” said Allen Ge, president of Otis China Ltd.

At the Beijing exhibition, Otis showcased its award-winning Gen2 system, ReGen drives and the TEDA center along with more than 170 companies from around the world that displayed energy-saving building technologies.

The Gen2 machine-roomless elevator system provides energy savings and design flexibility in a wide variety of applications from low-rise residential to high-rise commercial buildings. The Gen2 system is up to 50 percent more efficient than conventional systems. The system’s patented polyurethane coated-steel belts, gearless machine and roller guides do not require any additional lubrication, eliminating the need for storage, cleanup and disposal of hazardous waste.

ReGen drives also reduce elevator energy usage by capturing the energy normally lost as heat during braking. ReGen drives feed this energy back into the building’s electrical grid for use by other building systems, such as adjacent elevators or lighting. When combined with Gen2 elevators, ReGen drives deliver energy savings of up to 75 percent compared to conventional systems without ReGen drives.

In 2007, Otis opened the Otis Elevator Company TEDA Center, the world’s first “green” elevator manufacturing facility, which is located in China’s Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA).This energy-efficient facility features the most advanced product development, manufacturing and testing capabilities for Gen2 elevators and other gearless systems.

The TEDA center was designed and constructed to reduce site energy usage by at least 25 percent compared to conventional building methods. It uses extensive day lighting and natural ventilation, cool roofs to reduce heat island effects, radiant heating in offices and the cafeteria, intensive insulation, high-performance windows, and rainwater collection for site irrigation. The center also includes heating, ventilating and air conditioning and building automation systems from UTC’s Carrier business unit and security and access systems from UTC Fire & Security to maximize environmental performance.

Otis’ energy-efficient products and technologies can be found in many of China’s landmark buildings including Shanghai World Financial Center, Guangzhou International Finance Center and the National Aquatics Center, the Beijing Olympics swimming venue known as the “Water Cube.”