"The aging elevator always made me nervous whenever I went downstairs to buy groceries. Now the new elevator is fast and stable, and I feel much more at ease!" On September 23, following the issuance of the final acceptance certificate to the residential community, all 14 new elevators installed at Xingye City Jiayuan in Gaohetang Community, Xiaogang Subdistrict, Beilun District, Ningbo, by ZOIRSAN Elevator (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., officially passed final acceptance. As residents admired the brand-new elevators, they were filled with emotion. A long-standing "challenge" that had affected more than 1,000 households in the community for years had finally been resolved, ushering in a new era of safer and more convenient vertical transportation.
Residents of Xingye City Jiayuan using the newly installed elevators (Photo courtesy of Xiaogang Subdistrict）
Completed in 2008, Xingye City Jiayuan Residential Community has 14 elevators that have been "in service" for nearly 20 years. In recent years, they have frequently suffered from abnormal noise, vibration, and service interruptions, becoming a persistent source of frustration for residents. For elderly residents and those with limited mobility, even traveling between floors had become a daily challenge. "The elevator always made strange noises when it started, and it would shake when stopping. You simply didn't feel safe riding it." Homeowner Zhao Qunyan's remarks reflected the shared concerns and expectations of the community: "Back then, all we hoped for was to have the elevators replaced as soon as possible."
Meeting residents' expectations became the community's "top priority". Beginning in early May, community staff acted as "policy interpreters", breaking the complex elevator retrofit & modernization application process down into a simple flowchart and a checklist of required documents. They also organized multiple Q&A sessions, providing step-by-step guidance to the homeowners' committee and property management team in preparing the application materials. At the same time, they served as "active coordinators", liaising with the district housing and urban-rural development authorities, closely following the approval process, and working to shorten the approval timeline wherever possible. Ultimately, the applications for the retrofit & modernization of all 14 aging elevators at Xingye City Jiayuan Residential Community were successfully completed and approved at the district level.
Elevator retrofit & modernization project at Xingye City Jiayuan Residential Community. (Photo courtesy of Xiaogang Subdistrict)
"The newly installed elevators have a rated capacity of 1,050 kg and a maximum rated capacity of 14 passengers." As the project contractor, ZOIRSAN Elevator, guided by its "public-benefit" philosophy, not only customized upgraded elevator solutions for the residential community, but also strictly upheld the highest safety standards throughout the entire construction process. "During construction, we incorporated low-noise guide rail technology, added overspeed governor & safety gear assembly, and equipped every elevator with an independent emergency power supply, ensuring residents enjoy a quieter, safer, and more reassuring riding experience." Chen Yongtuo, General Manager of ZOIRSAN Elevator (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., explained that, to minimize disruption to residents, the company adopted an innovative "staggered, phased construction" approach throughout the entire process, from dismantling the aging elevators to installing the new ones. The 14 elevators were divided into three batches for retrofit & modernization, with daily construction hours strictly controlled.
Today, visitors to Xingye City Jiayuan Residential Community are greeted by silver-gray streamlined elevator cars, intelligent touch-control buttons, and real-time operating status displays… the new elevators have not only become a "visual highlight" of the community, but have also successfully passed final acceptance with an outstanding record of "zero failures and zero complaints".
Small elevators, serving a big public good. "This retrofit & modernization project has not only improved residents' quality of life, but also provided a compelling model for upgrading urban infrastructure." According to a representative of Xiaogang Subdistrict, the Xingye City Jiayuan project in Gaohetang Community has generated a demonstration effect together with projects in residential communities such as Jiangcheng Shijia and Nanan Xiuting. Together, these projects have modernized a total of 35 aging elevators, benefiting more than 5,000 residents. Thanks to its efficient project delivery and customer-focused service, ZOIRSAN Elevator has been recognized as a "benchmark enterprise for aging residential community modernization", and its innovative project model will continue to be promoted. (By Zhang Chaoling)
