Define elevator type, building use, and passenger demand

First, identify the primary users and purpose of the elevator. A hospital bed lift operates with very different parameters than a high-speed office tower elevator. Map out the building's use and estimate passenger demand during peak times.

For a typical commercial office, a rule-of-thumb starting point is aiming for a handling capacity of 12% to 15% of the building's total population within a 5-minute peak window. For residential buildings, this baseline is often 5% to 7%. However, these illustrative figures vary significantly based on local codes, building class, and project-specific variables. In practice, this iterative traffic analysis is performed by specialized vertical transportation consultants using advanced simulation software, rather than relying solely on simplified percentages. Understanding these traffic patterns determines whether a single large elevator or a bank of smaller, faster units is required to maintain wait times under 30 seconds.