The second edition of E2 Forum China drew to a successful close in Shanghai

China’s pace of urbanisation has accelerated at an astonishing speed; however, the rapid development of cities across the country has also resulted in massive demand for energy. With more and more elevators installed across the country, the aggregate energy consumption of elevators has increased significantly. This has prompted manufacturers to explore new energy conservation technologies and green elevators that reduce emissions, and so this has inevitably become the future direction of the elevator industry.

The E2 Forum China held at the Pullman Shanghai Skyway Hotel in Shanghai on 20 September delved into various topics including green buildings and sustainable urban development, with the main focus on the renovation of existing buildings and the optimisation of vertical transportation facilities. Participants gathered to explore how the integration of green buildings and energy efficient vertical transportation facilities brings opportunities and challenges to urban renewal and sustainable development. Forum guests and audiences spoke highly of the event and affirmed E2 Forum China as an innovative and leading platform in the elevator industry.

Ms Lucia Wong, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd said: “This year’s edition of E2 Forum China was honoured to gather experts in the industry to share their valuable experience on how building and elevator design, user experience, low carbon, energy saving, operation maintenance and more help urban renewal and sustainable development. The forum created a ground-breaking exchange platform for different sectors in the elevator industry to brainstorm innovative ideas on urban renewal and explore green business opportunities, thereby creating a more sustainable future. We are also grateful that the forum helped key players in the industry to connect with each other and provided guidance for the development of their businesses.”

Key topics at the forum included “how the latest technology facilitates the sustainable development of green buildings”, “the application of digital elevators in smart buildings”, and “how vertical transportation promotes the renewal of existing buildings”.

Mr Jianguo Li, the Deputy General Manager of MIDEA Building Technologies Elevator Company, who was one of the distinguished speakers, shared his insights after the forum: “The growth of the new elevator market in China reached an inflection point in 2022, which reflected that construction in China had moved away from a high growth of new builds and has entered a new era of more efficient utilisation of existing buildings. The industry ought to focus on discovering ways to maximise the value of existing buildings, enhancing efficiency through smart technology, reducing carbon emissions and achieving the ultimate goal of reaching zero emissions, while improving the user experience. One needs to keep in mind that the elevator is of one of the most essential pieces of apparatus in modern buildings, as it is the main form of vertical transportation and a key element of urban renewal.”   

Mr Ling Ren, Director of M&E Design, CIFI Group, was one of the guests of the roundtable conference. He believes that the primary task for urban renewal is to install elevators in multi-story buildings that currently have no elevators, ensuring that the elderly and the disabled can have convenient access, thus enhancing their quality of life. Mr Ren also believes elevators that have reached the limit of their service life must be renovated in order to secure the safety of users. He commented: “We’ve rarely participated in specialised forums in the past and so we could only interact with the elevator industry through exhibitions and our daily operations. This time through E2 Forum China, we met the key players in the elevator industry all at once, which was highly efficient. The hybrid sessions also invited a number of prominent international industry figures to share their insights. I believe it is vital to have such a high-quality platform that bridges different areas of the industry and enables everyone to learn about the latest technologies and trends, as well as to communicate and exchange knowledge with one another”

Mr Xiaofeng Li, Head of Marketing, Toshiba Elevator (China) Co Ltd attended the forum as a member of the audience, commenting: “The forum focused on green buildings and the renewal of existing buildings, as well as the optimisation of vertical transportation and sustainable urban development, which are all trending topics. Elevators and escalators are an integral part of buildings, and our company is a dedicated practitioner in this industry. We hope that through participating at this forum, we could listen to the insights from experts inside and outside of the industry, and continue to contribute to the sustainable development of the city. I’m deeply impressed, as the guest line-up is well balanced, including government representatives, association leaders, and representatives from various companies. I hope that more enterprises as well as government agencies can join to interact and exchange ideas. I would also like to thank the organiser for gathering us at this excellent platform to discuss the industry’s prospects and road towards sustainable development.”