ecalifts pride themselves upon an environmentally friendly approach to the full spectrum of our services; from specification through to procurement and installation.

Keele University Hub for Sustainability (KUSH) has, therefore, provided the perfect backdrop for the installation of one of ecalifts latest state of the art vertical platform lifts.

The £4 million KUSH was completed in 2011. The project converted a series of historic agricultural buildings into a centre intended to be a living example of sustainability.

At the heart of the centre, the vertical platform lift provides a clean, efficient and safe method of transport to the first floor. The lift is a visual focal point at the fulcrum of a double height mezzanine hall.

The hub has daylight sensitive lighting, so the infusion of maximum daylight into the heart of the building was essential. Over 90% of the lift is fabricated with transparent safety glass (up to 2m high) allowing maximum refraction of natural daylight, and helping to reduce the need for internal lighting during long periods of the day.

KUSH is also intended to be a focus and catalyst for environmentally responsible behaviours.

One key aspect of the hub is that it provides access to such a resource for all members of society. The hub even has a fair trade coffee lounge where members of the public can drop in to find out more information.

The lift fully meets the needs for robust public access with a large 630kg carrying capacity and roomy access for wheelchair users. Safety is also augmented with a handrail, communication point and alarm as standard.

KUSH is bristling with the latest examples of a sustainable approach including solar PV, solar thermal, ground source heat pumps, biomass heating and rainwater recycling. All this tech is enshrined into a historic building with a contemporary interior.

Holistic integration of access apparatus into a complex set of physical and environmental circumstances has become standard practice for ecalifts. Such an approach requires a considered understanding of aesthetic, design, safety and environmental factors cast within the theatre of adaptive re-use.

The ability to produce solutions that fully meet such characteristics is the reason why ecalifts is one of the leading access companies in the UK today. 

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ecalifts latest lift installations in a care home, tucked away within the foot hills of thePennines, has provided the residents and staff with environmentally friendly, multipurpose access, designed to allow for a variety of functions.

The care home, situated on the outskirts of Stalybridge, is a completely new facility springing from a former Victorian school. It has been designed from the ground up toprovide a warm, safe and convivial environment for its residents.

Being a care home facility, one of the key requirements was for access.

First and foremost, the design brief required safe and convenient access to allaccommodation levels from the reception area. The installation and subsequentfunctioning of the lift had to fit in with an eco-friendly ethos which permeated the new-buildblueprint from start to finish. It also had to fit into a compact design in lieu of the scale ofthe care home which was built to provide a friendly, domestic setting for the residents. 

The eFGL’s environmentally friendly credentials include an extremely efficient power unitwith dry motor, resulting in very low power consumption with the operation of the lift.

ecalifts were also commissioned to install a separate dual purpose lift as further access was required for a complex combination of utility uses, to integratewith the fluid and open plan form of the facility.

The primary requirement was to provide a bespoke solution for transporting goods andpersonnel along the vertical axis to the kitchen on the ground floor. An intelligent designelement in the plan also had a requirement for horizontal personnel access from the heartof the care home to the exterior of the building.

Designed as a cross purpose platform and passenger lift, the ecalifts Sovereign VerticalPlatform lift was ideally suited for this purpose. The lift was installed with double entry doors which provided for the myriad of circulation options on both the vertical andhorizontal axes.

Procuring such solutions to complex design requirements has become ecalifts watchword.

Our extensive knowledge and experience, combined with an excellence in service secondto none, has afforded the residents of this outstanding care facility in Stalybridge withintelligent, safe and environmentally friendly access designed to enhance the quality oftheir lives.

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ecalifts latest lift installations in a care home, tucked away within the foot hills of thePennines, has provided the residents and staff with environmentally friendly, multipurpose access, designed to allow for a variety of functions.

The care home, situated on the outskirts of Stalybridge, is a completely new facility springing from a former Victorian school. It has been designed from the ground up toprovide a warm, safe and convivial environment for its residents.

Being a care home facility, one of the key requirements was for access.

First and foremost, the design brief required safe and convenient access to allaccommodation levels from the reception area. The installation and subsequentfunctioning of the lift had to fit in with an eco-friendly ethos which permeated the new-buildblueprint from start to finish. It also had to fit into a compact design in lieu of the scale ofthe care home which was built to provide a friendly, domestic setting for the residents. 

The eFGL’s environmentally friendly credentials include an extremely efficient power unitwith dry motor, resulting in very low power consumption with the operation of the lift.

ecalifts were also commissioned to install a separate dual purpose lift as further access was required for a complex combination of utility uses, to integratewith the fluid and open plan form of the facility.

The primary requirement was to provide a bespoke solution for transporting goods andpersonnel along the vertical axis to the kitchen on the ground floor. An intelligent designelement in the plan also had a requirement for horizontal personnel access from the heartof the care home to the exterior of the building.

Designed as a cross purpose platform and passenger lift, the ecalifts Sovereign VerticalPlatform lift was ideally suited for this purpose. The lift was installed with double entry doors which provided for the myriad of circulation options on both the vertical andhorizontal axes.

Procuring such solutions to complex design requirements has become ecalifts watchword.

Our extensive knowledge and experience, combined with an excellence in service secondto none, has afforded the residents of this outstanding care facility in Stalybridge withintelligent, safe and environmentally friendly access designed to enhance the quality oftheir lives.

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Here are more pictures of the wonderfully versatile Low Rise Transfer Lift (LRTL)

This lift is especially suitable for heritage site applications with its ability to 'blend' into the background when level with the existing floor.

More information here about the LRTL

Here is a video of the lift in action

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Enhancing access to listed and historic buildings has always been a problem, taking into account the special character that makes such building’s unique. Enabling access for disabled people and conserving the special character of a building may require a fine balancing act which requires careful thought and application.

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The heritage industry is one of the most important sectors in Britain. 

Cultural heritage tourism has exploded over the past decade. Our built heritage is at the privileged and unique position of providing us with a glimpse of our past and allowing us to link up with our forebears.   

Its importance rests upon the fact that it is an unparalleled resource, which has strong cultural value. Buildings in particular can be valued upon historic associations, typology, age and rarity. Some buildings have taken centuries to evolve into their current state.   

Taking into account the finite nature of our heritage, even the smallest change can adversely affect the significance of a buildings interior or exterior. It is natural, therefore, to understand that any decision to alter or change the character of such buildings has to be taken very seriously; especially when access has to be considered for those with permanent or temporary disabilities.  

The Equality Act requires that equal opportunity for access is provided for those with disabilities within the realms of the public and private sectors. Not only does it encompass new buildings, but it also applies to our historic environment too. The Equality Act also includes for access to the wider site, facilities and information belonging to a property.  

eca lifts is a company dedicated to providing access solutions for all eventualities.

Its impassioned approach belies a company which is at the cutting edge of innovation. Director, Ken Lewcock sums up their philosophy:  

" I have been driven by a compulsion to enable others to connect with their past through our heritage, but the age-old problem has been that the terms 'minimum intervention' and 'maximum access' have not been easily interchangeable with older buildings."  

What Ken has noticed is that current and conventional access solutions have relied upon methods of access which can be clumsy, cluttered and ultimately interfere with the heritage experience.  

As many people are beginning to realise, the significance of a building isn't just about "what you can see" - it is also about the 'intangible': that special mix of fabric, atmosphere and mystery. Many of today's conventional access solutions are liable to interfere with such significance.  

eca lifts have had a considerable amount of experience with historic buildings, both listed and unlisted. One notable example is eca's provision of access to the award winning 'Out of The Hat' Heritage and Visitor Centre in Tewkesbury, which involved the painstaking conservation of a C17th grade II listed timber framed building. Ken continues:  

"Underpinned with such knowledge and experience, we have been constantly researching our market to spot any innovative designs which might provide real life solutions to real life situations. Enabling diversity of access with little visual impact has remained our holy grail, and we are very excited to announce that we have finally found such a solution."  

What eca lifts is now able to provide represents a considerable revolution, especially  in situations where 'low-rise' access is an absolute must, and nothing in terms of the standing building fabric can be sacrificed.  

The Low Rise Transfer Lift (LRTL) is designed to overcome changes in both the horizontal and vertical planes. It's raison d'etre is its ability (when not in use) to lie flush with the floor surface. The LRTL can also optionally incorporate the existing surface onto it's platform face, thus reducing considerably visual impact, and retaining the maximum amount of historic fabric.  

The LRTL only requires a depth of 100 - 130mm (depending upon which model) and can take a maximum load of upto 300kg. Additional safety features are incorporated to stop wheel movement when in motion.  

It is rare to come across an access device which is 'virtually' invisible, but it is just as rare for such a device to add to the significance of the building in terms of enabling access without impairing character.  

The benefits of minimum intervention are plain to see, and it means that Planning and Conservation Officers have a game-changing option to consider when carrying out Impact Assessments and Conservation Plans. Equally, historic property owners may also be able to consider the LRTL for access when other access solutions have not been possible in the past.   

When taking into account the above factors the LRTL can make a life-changing difference for people with disabilities, who genuinely want to connect with their historic environment. It can provide a real variety of access possibilities.   

You can see a video here of the low rise LRTL in action

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