"We know that making building operations greener has become the highest of priorities for our customers," says Annika Jamal El-Din. "And ensuring building-related maintenance services are sustainable is a crucial piece of this puzzle."
Berlin-based Annika has worked at Schindler for 21 years. A huge part of her role is listening to customers to understand their needs, then working with her team to develop services and products that support them.
Reliable maintenance that guarantees maximum uptime is, of course, a constant priority. "And the number of customers asking for help to make buildings more sustainable has really ramped up," she adds.
The good news is, the new era of digitally connected units has paved the way for more sustainable service. Harnessing the performance insights these units provide means Schindler can take preventive action to minimize faults. Connected units translate to less disruption: breakdowns are resolved up to 34%* faster and deliver a 37%* reduction in callbacks. This in turn means fewer site-visit emissions, which helps customers achieve green building credits.
"Ultimately, we have developed a smarter service with planned maintenance that is tailored to each lift. This reduces CO2 and is more sustainable by design," explains Annika.
"Remotely monitoring digitally connected units around the clock at our Technical Operation Centers (TOCs) means that we can always be present for customers, even when they can’t see us."
*Compared to non-connected units.
By preventively planning and scheduling maintenance, Schindler can minimize on-site callbacks to only those that are absolutely necessary. This lowers the carbon emissions of service, which helps customers achieve the holy grail of net-zero, budget-friendly service.
And when Schindler does visit, it’s increasingly using electric vehicles, including e-bikes and e-scooters.
"We’re moving towards fully electric fleets, and we use AI to optimize our service routes," says Annika. "This is part of a company-wide commitment to minimize the impact buildings have on the environment."
"Our wider sustainability strategy involves harnessing sustainable, smart technology and using resources responsibly, for example with paperless communications, to achieve our goal of becoming a net-zero CO2 organization", she adds.
Annika knows that achieving green building credits is a key sustainability objective for building owners. That’s why Schindler developed the first environmentally-certified service in the lift industry.
"We can achieve a reduction of 99.5%** of total emissions for a service contract that includes digital services, compared with a standard service contract," she confirms.
**According to TÜV Rheinland certificate (Zertifikat Product Carbon Footprint; PCF C01-2022-03-21254480).
Developing more sustainable lift and escalator service means continuing to innovate - with digitally connected lifts, remote monitoring technology and digital tools.
"We’re helping businesses become more sustainable by improving our products and services, not by carbon offsetting," Annika says.
And with fewer callbacks, faster response times, and higher uptime, the positive impact of digital innovation on customers is vast. For Annika, working with her team to develop a service that is more reliable, more efficient, and greener is a source of great pride.
"We’re just at the start of a new era of connected technology," she says. "When we go on this journey together, a greener future lies ahead."