Reference Story
burj dubai is reaching for the sky
12 Pega Hoist construction hoists on site controlled by Vacon AC drives
Try to imagine a building with a height of more than 800
metres. It is difficult. In 2008, this will become reality when
Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world by any measure, is
completed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 5600 workers
on the project place a high value on construction hoists that
are safe and reliable. The 12 Pega Hoist construction hoists
on the site are controlled by Vacon AC drives.
Pega Hoist, a Czech company specializing in construction rack
and pinion hoists, plays a vital role in erecting the building
that became the world’s tallest high-rise building on 24 July
2007 − a long time before reaching the official final height,
which still remains a secret. An undisputed fact is that with a
height of more than 800 metres, Burj Dubai will tower above
the tallest buildings in the world: the Taipei 101 in Taiwan,
the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and the CN Tower in
Toronto.
Pavel Policar, Pega’s Industrial Hoist Director and Manager
of the Burj Dubai project, cannot imagine a better challenge
in the field of construction hoist production than the world’s
tallest man-made structure.
Demanding conditions
Almost three years non-stop operation in severe local
climate conditions sets high demands for the equipment.
“Temperatures reaching 53 degrees centigrade, very high
humidity, sand storms and fine salt film pollution. On top
of this, we need to manage the challenge of unlimited
transportation of men and materials and traffic peaks,” says
Mr Policar.
The company is no novice in its field. In recent years Pega Hoist
has delivered dozens of construction elevators to the United
Arab Emirates and to neighbouring Saudi Arabia operating at
heights up to 200 and 300 metres. Thanks to their advanced
technology and technical solutions, the performance of the
Pega construction hoists has been unbeatable. This convinced
those behind the Burj Dubai project to contract Pega Hoist.
Large and small jump hoist solutions
The hoist solution eventually chosen for the Burj Dubai
project was a combination of large static hoists and smaller
‘jump’ hoists which rise with the building to service the
busiest areas. “The concept is four twin hoists (eight cages)
on the main building to a height of approximately 420 metres
in one go,” says Mr Policar. “We are supplying super-fast,
no-counterweight 3240 variable frequency-controlled hoists
with a capacity of 3.2 tonnes and a four metre cage running
at 100 metres per minute, full load.” He says that this 420
metres’ run is the longest ever single ride by a temporary
construction hoist.
Other “fixed” hoists will be installed at a level of around 420
metres; these will be two twin units of the same type operating
up to a level of 560 metres and 600 metres respectively. These
are currently being installed. After that, in over a year’s time,
the final circa 110 metres of the tower will be reached by a
single twin-cage unit.
In addition to these fixed hoists, Pega Hoist is supplying three
single-cage ‘jump’ hoists – a mix of 1 ton and 2 ton units with
2.4 metre cage lengths – which service a height of 90-120
metres and generally cover the section of the tower which
is the busiest, providing inter-floor transport. “When the
building significantly ‘outgrows’ the jump hoist, the hoist gets
dismounted and transported another 80-120 metres higher,”
explains Mr Policar.
Pega’s sophisticated floor call and information control
system gives workers the ability to see where the hoists are,
the direction they are travelling in, and where hoist requests
have been made.
Cooperation with Vacon started in 2004
Pega’s great achievements make the company the innovation
engine of the rack and pinion hoist industry. Whatever parts
Pega needs for its hoists, the corporate philosophy is to accept
only the best products and suppliers in the world.
Pega came into contact with Vacon in 2004 when making
conceptual designs for the Burj Dubai construction hoists.
The first contact soon led to a joint project in product and
software development, and after several months of close
cooperation, the hoists controlled by Vacon AC drives were
ready to be delivered to the Burj Dubai site.
Pavel Policar, Pega’s Industrial Hoist Director and
Manager of the Burj Dubai project.
Cover photo: The final height of the Burj Dubai is officially
being kept a secret, due to competition from other
buildings that are under construction or proposed.
However, the suggested height of around 818 metres
released by the contractor corresponds to a total of
around 160 habitable floors. The Dubai Tower will have a
total floor space of 460,000 square metres. The building
will incorporate a hotel belonging to the Armani Hotels
chain, luxury apartments and penthouse suites, firstclass restaurants, and an amusement and leisure
centre. Scheduled for occupancy in September 2009, the
building is part of a 2 km² (0.8 sq mi) development called
‘Downtown Dubai’.
Entrance ticket to new projects
Simultaneously with the Burj Dubai project, Pega is involved
in many other high-rise building projects around the world.
Among them is the Federation Tower in Moscow, which −
with its 360 metres − will be Europe’s tallest building when
completed in 2008. The Pega construction hoists here are
also controlled by Vacon AC drives.
Now Pega is hoping that its contribution to the impressive
Burj Dubai landmark could lead to participation in the
redevelopment of the Twin Towers site in New York City.
One of the main Pega hoists on the tower, showing
the landing arrangement and the strengthened tower
sections.
Photographs: Courtesy of Pega Hoist.
Tel. +358 (0)201 2121
Fax +358 (0)201 212 205
www.vacon.com
[email protected]
RS00083A
Vacon Plc
Runsorintie 7, 65380 Vaasa, Finland