Tiles May Help Shrink Carbon Footprint by Harnessing Pedestrian Power

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3. If energy conservation in the concern, why install down escalators at all?

If you want to improve the energy efficiency of escalators, you install only escalators going up, you have people walk stairs going down (This is what they do in the Pittsburgh LRVs, you only have escalators going UP, going down you walk the stairs, if you are handicap there is an elevator). Thus why install down escalator at all? Most people have no problem walking DOWN STAIRS.

LRVs (and streetcars) have the ability to generate electrical power every time they slow down. The power then goes into the overhead (or other) electrical supply system for use by other cars on the system. Such regenerative systems even shows up in some on the new Hybrid and electric cars, but since the electricity is then put into storage for later use (and do to the loss of electricity is such storage) not as efficient as in LRVs, but it does seem to work.

Escalators actually use more power then elevators, but can move more people then elevators. You have to reserve the area of the elevator on every floor it runs up and down to. Thus that much less space for other things, including more elevators. Escalators take up the same amount of space per floor, but since people can walk onto an escalator at any time (unlike an elevator where people can only enter when it is on their floor), more people can use them AT THE SAME TIME. Thus if you want to move the maximum number of people you install escalators. If your first factor is energy efficiency you install elevators or the even more energy efficient system knows as "Stairs".

Side note: Elevators under about six floors, are a car balanced by a counterweight of the same weight. The electric motor thus only has to pull up the weight of the people in the car, the counterweight balances the weight of the elevator car. On the way down the Motor only has to act as a brake. Very energy efficient.

In buildings larger then about six floors, a different type of elevator is used. One that is electrically pulled up and down. Uses more power, but can cover more floors. Do to the two "types" of elevators you see a lot of buildings six floor or less in almost any urban area, but only in high price areas do you see taller buildings.