LATEST NEWS

Zerofootprint Software and the Zerofootprint Foundation have combined to offer the ZEROprize™ to promote building more environment-friendly and energy-efficient high-rise buildings. The competition for the ZEROprize invites design teams to retrofit existing buildings so as to reduce their carbon footprint to zero. To qualify, the building must be of reinforced concrete construction, built in 1945-1990 and have a minimum of 150,000 square feet of floor space. The deadline for the competition is February 22. For more information, visit website: www.thezeroprize.net/images/ZEROprize.pdf.

KONE Oyj of Finland recently announced that it was awarded the Good Design award for its KONE Design signalization series. It is one of the only elevator and escalator companies to receive this type of award in 60 years. Launched in 2009, the KONE Design offers contemporary design and durable technology. The panel can be modified by changing the color or design of the faceplate. The signalization panel enables the integration of guiding information on the panel. KONE was first presented the Good Design award in 2008 for its FourSeasons™ concept.

According to China Elevator, Fujitec Elevator Co. is supplying elevators and escalators for the new Shanghai Bund Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai. The ninth hotel of the Peninsula Hotels Group, the Shanghai edition is being equipped with two sets of escalators and 25 high-speed elevators, four of which are machine-room-less units driven by Fujitec's Talon drive system.

Developers have begun construction of what Dominican Today described as "the Dominican Republic's first green building." The Ágora Mall is being built on a 120,000-square-meter site at the intersection of Kennedy and Lincoln avenues in Santo Domingo. The mall will have several levels, including four underground parking levels, with 10 elevators and 16 escalators connecting them. Four of the elevators will be panoramic.