OREANDA-NEWS. March 13, 2014. The modernized elevators expected to take 1.2 million visitors each year will feature a glass roof for impressive views and energy recovery systems for less operational costs.

Upgrade for the Berlin landmark: ThyssenKrupp has installed two modern elevators in Germany’s tallest building. Travelling at up to six meters per second, visitors are whisked to the viewing platform at 203 meters in just 35 seconds. The new elevator cabs feature high quality stainless steel interiors with a glass-covered, energy-efficient LED-backlit rear wall. The highlight is the transparent cab roof, which is made of safety glass and allows passengers to look up into the shaft.

“The new elevators in the Berlin TV tower have been custom built: The control, drive and monitoring systems were designed to be integrated into the existing environment,” said Roberto Wirgailis, branch manager Berlin of ThyssenKrupp Aufzuge. “To make the view through the glass roof even more impressive, the cab roof has been redesigned and specially manufactured for the TV tower.”

The elevators are also equipped with an energy recovery system: When the elevator moves downwards, this system generates electricity. Buildings account for around 40 percent of energy consumption worldwide. Rising energy costs and growing public environmental awareness have brought about a global rethink when it comes to planning, building and modernization. The perfect interaction of all elevator components combined with maximum efficiency and energy recovery underline ThyssenKrupp’s sustainable engineering expertise."

At 368 meters, the Berlin TV Tower – which opened in 1969 – is the tallest structure in Germany. Every year, the landmark welcomes around 1.2 million visitors. It was designated as a listed building in 1979, a status it retained after German reunification.