We are pleased to announce that the SAICON team has embarked on an extraordinary project: an advanced hotel luggage transportation system.
Interestingly, the project we have embarked on is in one of the most modern buildings within Qatar called Katara Towers. It is the first hotel project within Qatar to be certified by GSAS Design & Build at the design stage and will be the first to pioneer the sustainable hospitality sector in Qatar.
Katara Towers is a building whose arched towers will house two luxury five- and six-star hotels with more than 1,000s rooms and suites to cater to even the most discerning traveller. In turn, 49 lavishly furnished residential apartments will become home to the building’s permanent residents. The building will also house offices, leisure facilities, specialist boutiques and top-class restaurants.
The total height of Katara Towers is 211 metres (692 feet) and 40 floors.
To reduce energy consumption, all of the building’s high-traffic interior spaces have been equipped with intelligently controlled ventilation that automatically adjusts to demand. By incorporating a lighting control system and an energy-efficient HVAC system, fixtures and appliances, the project is expected to further reduce its energy footprint, as well as the associated costs.
Implemented by our experts, the hotel luggage transportation system at Katara Towers will enable the fast and secure distribution of luggage with full security checks for guests of the 5-star hotel. After being collected by staff in front of the hotel, luggage will be transported by a conveyor system to other levels using special continuous transport lifts with Nerak-type moving platforms.
The control system will be based on a Siemens hardware platform using distributed I/O technology.
Once the luggage has reached its final location, it will be checked using an X-Ray machine to ensure the highest security for hotel guests.
The suitcases will travel 10m in height in a matter of seconds using 2 synchronised 1m/s lift drives. The system will be able to accommodate 450 suitcases per hour, which means a single suitcase every 8 seconds. Achieving this capacity will be made possible by the continuous movement of the lift platforms with the elimination of the downtime necessary with traditional vertical transport systems.
The official opening of the building is announced just before the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which starts in November 2022.
