Synopsis
Nibav USA offers home elevators with pitless, shaft-free designs, perfect for compact spaces. These lifts ensure easy installation, enhanced safety, and sleek aesthetics, making them ideal for modern homes without major construction.
What it is
A pitless and shaft-free home elevator is a residential vertical mobility system that is engineered to operate without requiring any underground pit, masonry shaft, or structural elevator hoistway. In conventional elevator systems, a pit is excavated beneath the lowest floor to house buffers and safety equipment, while a shaft is built through every floor to guide and support the elevator cabin. These structural elements are costly, space-consuming, and difficult to integrate into existing homes.
Nibav USA home elevators eliminate these requirements through a self-supporting pneumatic vacuum tube architecture. The elevator cabin moves inside a reinforced cylindrical tube that serves simultaneously as the guide system, load-bearing frame, and protective enclosure. All lifting forces, alignment forces, and passenger loads are contained within this tube, rather than being transferred into the home’s walls, floors, or foundation.
Elevators are usually installed directly onto an existing floor. A round hole needs to be cut through the floor at the exact location of where the elevator will be installed, but this can be done without any other structural modifications to the building. Therefore, elevators can be placed in locations like stairways, corners of homes, common living areas, and atriums without modifying the integrity of the home.
Why it matters
Standard elevator shafts and pits were not typically designed into most residential properties in the United States. The use of wood-frame constructions as well as post-tension concrete slabs, crawl spaces, and slab-on-grade foundations makes the excavation and construction of an elevator shaft very complicated, costly, and dangerous. Excavating through existing construction affects the load path, moisture protection, and the overall stability of the structure in the long term.
The Pitless Shaftless System (NIBAV) eliminates these issues by providing a system that does not require:
- Excavation or concrete for the foundation
- Reinforcement of the structural elements (floor and wall)
- Dedicated hoistway construction
- Space for the machine room
- Long construction times/costs of labor
Because the Nibav System carries all vertical and lateral loads, the elevator does not impose structural loads on the building during the elevator’s operation. This makes installation cleaner, faster, and far more predictable—especially important for homeowners who want to add accessibility without disrupting their living space. For space-constrained homes, this design is particularly valuable. Townhomes, duplexes, and compact multi-story residences can gain full elevator access without sacrificing rooms, closets, or architectural flow.
Who needs this?
Pitless and shaft-free home elevators are especially suitable for:
1. Existing homes
They can be installed without tearing into floors, beams, or foundations.
2. Homes with limited floor area
The elevator occupies only its cylindrical footprint.
3. Wood-frame and slab-on-grade homes
No excavation or reinforcement is required.
4. Seniors planning to age in place
Mobility can be added later without major renovation.
5. Luxury and design-focused homes
The transparent tube becomes an architectural element rather than a hidden machine.
Technical details
Nibav USA achieves pitless and shaft-free operation through a combination of self-supporting structural engineering and pneumatic vacuum technology.
1. Self-supporting cylindrical structure
The reinforced vertical tube carries:
- Cabin weight
- Passenger load
- Dynamic movement forces
All loads are transferred directly into the base ring resting on the finished floor.
2. No pit configuration
The cabin begins and ends its travel at floor level. No buffers, pistons, or safety equipment are placed below the floor.
3. No shaft requirement
The tube itself functions as the guide and enclosure, eliminating masonry or steel hoistways.
4. Integrated machine system
Air turbines, control electronics, and safety systems are built into the top of the tube, removing the need for a separate machine room.
5. Pneumatic vacuum drive
Controlled air pressure lifts and lowers the cabin smoothly without cables, counterweights, or hydraulic pistons.
Common questions
1. Can this be installed in an existing house?
Yes. It is specifically designed for retrofit installation.
2. Does it affect the building structure?
No. The elevator supports itself.
3. Is it safe without a pit or shaft?
Yes. All loads and alignment are handled by the elevator frame.
4. Does it really save space?
Yes. Only the elevator’s circular footprint is used.
5. Is this standard for Nibav USA elevators?
Yes. Pitless and shaft-free design is a core feature of Nibav’s pneumatic systems.
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