MRL Elevator Advantages for Mid-Rise Buildings in South India
Machine Room Less (MRL) elevators have become the dominant choice for mid-rise apartment buildings in South India. This article explains why — and when a machine room elevator is still the better choice.
Sanyo ISquare Engineering Team
18 September 2025 · 6 min read
For South India's residential construction market — which is dominated by 5–15 floor apartment buildings — the MRL (Machine Room Less) gearless traction elevator has become the standard specification. This is a significant engineering shift from two decades ago, when machine room elevators were the norm.
This article explains what MRL technology actually delivers, why it has become the preferred choice, and the scenarios where a traditional machine room elevator remains the better option.
What Is an MRL Elevator?
An MRL (Machine Room Less) elevator integrates the traction machine directly into the elevator shaft — typically at the top of the shaft or on the guide rail structure — eliminating the need for a separate machine room above or beside the shaft.
The primary components of an MRL system:
- Gearless permanent magnet motor (compact, high-efficiency — e.g., Sicor Italy)
- VVVF (Variable Voltage Variable Frequency) drive — controls speed and acceleration
- Compact control cabinet mounted in the shaft or landing area
- Suspension ropes running over a traction sheave on the machine
- Counterweight — balances the cabin load for energy efficiency
Advantage 1 — Space Saving (6–10 m² per Building)
The most immediate, tangible benefit for builders: no machine room means 6–10 m² of floor area is recovered per elevator shaft — typically on the top floor or roof level.
For a 20-unit apartment building with two elevators, this translates to 12–20 m² of recovered space on the highest floor. In urban South India where FSI (Floor Space Index) is precious, this recovered space adds measurable value — it can become additional apartment area or an amenity space.
Advantage 2 — Lower Construction Cost
No machine room means:
- No reinforced concrete machine room slab (additional structural cost)
- No machine room access staircase or ladder
- No separate ventilation and electrical room for the machine room
- Simplified shaft structure at the top
The civil savings partially or fully offset the marginal price premium of an MRL system versus a legacy machine room system.
Advantage 3 — Energy Efficiency
MRL systems using permanent magnet gearless machines (such as Sicor's range) operate at significantly higher efficiency than geared machines:
| System Type | Typical Efficiency |
|---|---|
| Geared machine room elevator | 55–65% |
| Gearless MRL with VVVF drive | 75–85% |
| Gearless MRL with regenerative drive | 80–90% |
The VVVF drive controls the motor's speed and torque precisely — the elevator accelerates smoothly to rated speed, holds it, then decelerates smoothly to the floor level. No energy wasted in stepped-speed operation.
Regenerative drives go further: energy generated during the loaded downward journey (when the cabin is heavier than the counterweight) is fed back into the building's electrical supply. For high-usage buildings, regenerative recovery can be meaningful on electricity bills.
Advantage 4 — Quieter Operation
Geared machines have inherent mechanical noise from the gearbox — gear mesh, bearing vibration, and oil whip. Gearless permanent magnet motors have no gearbox — the motor drives the sheave directly.
Sicor Italy's gearless machines operate at approximately 55–60 dB(A) measured at the machine. In practice, residents in apartments adjacent to the elevator shaft hear significantly less noise from a gearless MRL than from a comparable geared machine room system.
This matters particularly for South India's apartment format, where the elevator shaft often runs through a central core adjacent to bedrooms.
Advantage 5 — Installation Speed
Modern MRL systems like those based on WITTUR's modular door cassette and Sicor's compact machine are significantly faster to install than traditional machine room systems:
- No machine room construction required (saves 2–4 weeks of civil work)
- Pre-wired control cabinets reduce electrical connection time
- Modular door cassettes pre-assembled in factory, not on site
- Compact machine can be brought in through the hoistway opening
For builders working to tight completion deadlines, this matters.
When a Machine Room Elevator Is Still the Right Choice
MRL technology has limitations:
High-rise buildings above 20 floors: Above approximately 60m travel height, the compact gearless machines used in MRL systems reach their performance limits. High-rise applications (20+ floors, 1.6–3.5 m/s) typically still use larger gearless machines in separate machine rooms.
Very high load applications: Above 2,000–2,500 kg (heavy goods lifts, large hospital elevators), machine room systems with larger traction machines may be more appropriate.
Existing buildings with machine rooms: If a building already has a machine room, replacing the elevator within the existing machine room configuration is often simpler and more economical.
High usage commercial: For very high duty cycle commercial elevators (department stores, major hospitals), machine room systems with more accessible maintenance access may be preferred by service teams.
MRL Specification Summary for South India Mid-Rise
For a typical 8–14 floor residential apartment building in South India, the following MRL specification is appropriate:
- Load: 630–800 kg (6–8 persons)
- Speed: 1.0–1.5 m/s
- Machine: Sicor Italy gearless, permanent magnet
- Drive: VVVF with regenerative braking
- Door: WITTUR DE-AIII automatic, 800–900 mm opening
- Rope: Pfeifer Drako 8×19 IWRC
- Safety: ARD, STO, EN81-20/50 compliant
- Fire door: WITTUR EN81-58 EI 120 (for high-rise compliance)
Frequently Asked Questions
Are MRL elevators more expensive than machine room elevators? Comparable MRL gearless systems are typically similar in installed cost to machine room systems when civil savings are factored in. Without the machine room construction cost, the total project cost for MRL is often lower.
What is the maintenance difference between MRL and machine room elevators? MRL maintenance is comparable to machine room elevator maintenance. The primary difference is access — the machine is in the shaft rather than a dedicated room. Experienced MRL service technicians work comfortably in the shaft. We include shaft-access safety equipment as part of our AMC service kit.
Can MRL elevators be installed in existing buildings? Yes, MRL elevators are commonly used for elevator modernisation in existing buildings — particularly where the original machine room is being repurposed. Shaft modifications may be required depending on the existing configuration.
What is the maximum speed for MRL elevators? Most compact gearless MRL machines are rated to 1.75–2.0 m/s maximum. For speeds above this, the machines become larger and typically require a machine room. For South India's mid-rise market (5–15 floors), 1.0–1.5 m/s is more than adequate.