Elevators are wasteful devices, consuming most of their energy when they are inactive. They ordinarily stay on (including the lights) all the time -- even when office buildings are closed for the weekend.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator is for the first time attacking the energy efficiency of its products and facilities, according to Sasha Bailey, the company's new Corporate Sustainability Manager.

The company is now developing products with generators that will switch to a low power mode or can be timed to shut down when not needed, and it is also looking to replace petroleum products used in its generators with biofuels, Bailey says. Even though electric elevators have been around for more than a century, only with the recent rising cost of energy has power consumption become a consideration, according to Bailey.

Bailey says ThyssenKrupp Elevator is undergoing its first corporate sustainability review and expects to have a report that will include its initial carbon footprint estimate by the end of the year. The company is currently doing internal interviews and working with consultants to develop sustainable policies.

Bailey, who previously worked in sales and marketing, heard about the creation of the position, and volunteered to undergo LEED certification training. Her company is using software to assess its carbon footprint at all of its manufacturing facilities, and will soon meet the ISO 14001 standard.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator was presenting at the Oregon Facilities and Sustainable Buildings Expo More on that soon.

In other greening-of-the-elevator news, competitor Kone has joined the Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments as part of its commitment to save energy.