Moni Solomonov is the Vertical Transportation Lead, US for the Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group. As part of both Cosentini’s New York office and the NDY vertical transportation team, he’s building on our specialist vertical transportation offering in the United States.
Moni is an established vertical transportation manager and technical leader with over 10 years of experience in design, installation and code compliance for elevator, escalator and moving walk systems across North America, focusing on the New York City area.
He reflects on his childhood affinity for STEM and solving problems in new ways, triggering a desire to apply his skills to real life problems and ultimately, a successful career in engineering. Vertical transportation has provided him with exciting opportunities to work on complex projects in vertical destinations such as Manhattan.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
Growing up, math and science classes were a strong suit of mine. I remember trying to solve problems in new ways that others hadn’t yet. My desire to make a positive impact on people’s lives by applying these skills to real life problems solidified my decision to pursue an applied science degree and become an engineer.
Why vertical transportation (VT)?
To be honest, I was unsure what to expect when I accepted my first position as a junior VT design engineer. I did not know too much about the industry at the time, though I was excited to learn what kind of mechanisms and planning goes into elevators (lifts), escalators and moving walks. As I started working on different projects, I quickly learned that vertical transportation systems are among the most complex systems in a building.
What’s a recent career highlight project for you?
Vertical transportation design can differ significantly across different market sectors – commercial, residential, healthcare, aviation, critical facilities and more. I have been fortunate to work on many diverse projects, each presenting its own challenges. A recent favourite was a complete gut-renovation of an existing high rise office building in downtown Manhattan. Our team worked closely with the architect, structural engineer and MEP/FP engineers to meet the building owner’s requirements and comply with local codes and standards.
Tell us about the vertical transportation on this project.
The elevators were overhead gearless traction type. The entire control system was outdated and considered obsolete. We recommended a major modernisation to all units, which is typical for equipment over 30 years old.
In addition, one of the elevators was planned to serve a new upper floor, which required vertically extending the shaft and reconfiguring the elevator machine room. Our main challenge was to fit the new elevator system within the existing building envelope and structural framing, while providing all code-required clearances.
In a series of studies, code analyses and cross-discipline workshops we were able to design a new overhead traction machine with minimal impact to the base building.
What innovative new approaches are you seeing when it comes to vertical transportation?
IoT (Internet of Things) technology is quickly spreading across the VT market. Major manufacturers and small independent companies are introducing advanced tools and devices to remotely monitor elevators (lifts), escalators and moving walks. Machine learning technology is processing the data collected to initiate preventative maintenance procedures and thus reduce equipment failures and shutdowns.
Where do you see the future of vertical transportation heading?
Global urbanisation trends drive more and more people into major cities. Some studies estimate that about 70% of the world population will live in cities by 2050. Vertical transportation will be the main artery that allows people movement in buildings and structures. I am excited to be at the forefront of these future developments.
