BBS Architects Engineers

EMC Insurance Companies

Owner: EMC Insurance

Architectural and Engineering Design Services: BBS Architects | Engineers

Construction Completed: 2018

Client Need: EMC Insurance Companies purchased the 21-story Hub Tower in 2010.  The high rise building, built in 1985, is adjacent to their main campus in downtown Des Moines.  After the purchase, EMC began updating building finishes and infrastructure.  In 2017, BBS and elevator consultant Lerch Bates undertook a project to modernize the building’s six main high-rise elevators with re-built motors, new, ADA compliant car interiors, new controllers, and a new control system. 

BBS Approach: The destination dispatch control system allows a potential rider to select their destination floor as they summon an elevator.  The system then assigns them an elevator to ride, grouping riders by destination floor.  This concept is designed to cut time waiting on elevator cabs and also to make rides faster.  The system learns rider patterns based on time of day and uses predictive algorithms to stage cars closer to anticipated demand.

Project Results: Hub tower was the first Midwestern high-rise to employ destination dispatch elevator control.

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