The Hybrid Future of Buildings: Why Destination Dispatch is Going Hybrid First

The Age of the Hybrid

In almost every industry, hybrid solutions have emerged as the bridge between old and new:

• Hybrid cars gave us the benefits of electrification before full EV adoption.
• Hybrid cloud allowed businesses to move workloads gradually before committing to 100% cloud.
• Hybrid work gave employees flexibility between office and home.
• Now, buildings have their own hybrid revolution: Hybrid Destination Dispatch (HDDS) for elevators.

It’s the natural next step in the evolution of vertical transportation — one that blends the practicality of legacy systems with the intelligence of modern destination dispatch. And it may very well define how smart buildings evolve in the next decade.

The Problem with the Elevator Status Quo

Traditional two-button relay elevators were brilliant in their simplicity — push up or down, ride to your floor. But they were designed for a time when:

• Buildings had fewer tenants.
• Security was not as critical.
• Efficiency wasn’t a differentiator.

Today’s high-rises demand more. With thousands of daily riders, multi-tenant security needs, and tenant expectations for “smart everything,” traditional systems are simply outdated.

• Tenants experience:
• Long waits in crowded lobbies.
• Slow rides with constant stops.
• Frustration at peak hours.
• Owners experience:

Complaints about elevator service.

• Weak differentiation in competitive markets.
• Security gaps, since anyone can ride to any floor once inside.
• Clearly, the status quo no longer works.

Destination Dispatch: The Promise and the Problem

Destination Dispatch Elevators (DDE) solved these pain points by having riders select their floor before boarding. The system then groups passengers by destination, assigning them to the most efficient elevator.

The benefits are undeniable:

• Reduced wait times.
• Faster rides with fewer stops.
• Smoother lobby traffic.
• Improved tenant satisfaction.

But there’s a problem: the cost and disruption of modernization.

• Each cab can take 8 weeks out of service.
• Large buildings face multi-year projects.
• Modernization costs can run into the millions.
• Tenants endure years of reduced service.

For most building owners, it’s a non-starter. Which is why full DD adoption, despite its promise, has been slow.

Enter the Hybrid Model

• Hybrid Destination Dispatch offers a third way — the benefits of destination dispatch without the cost or downtime of modernization.
• It’s the “hybrid cloud” moment for elevators.

How It Works

• Overlay, not replace: A Hybrid DDE Controller is added in the machine room, connected to the elevator’s microprocessor.
• New input methods: Tenants use their phones (BluREMOTE app) or Person Readers (face/voice recognition kiosks) to select destinations. Traditional buttons remain as a fallback.
• Cloud intelligence: BluSKY Cloud validates access rights, groups passengers, and assigns elevators.
• Scaling benefits: Even partial adoption improves efficiency. As more tenants adopt, the system approaches full destination dispatch performance.

Why Hybrid Works First

Hybrid is the right model at the right time — for the same reasons hybrid solutions succeed elsewhere.

1. Cost Accessibility

Just like hybrid cars were cheaper than full EVs, Hybrid DD is ~1/10th the cost of full modernization. It lowers the barrier to entry for smarter elevators.

2. No Service Downtime

Elevators remain in service during installation. No years of tenant disruption. This alone makes it politically acceptable in ways full DD often isn’t.

3. Incremental Adoption

Hybrid DD doesn’t force everyone to change behavior overnight. Riders can still press buttons if they want. Over time, as mobile/biometric adoption grows, so does system efficiency.

4. Future-Proof

Just as hybrid cloud was a stepping stone to full cloud, Hybrid DD positions buildings for a gradual transition. If full modernization ever becomes feasible, they’ll already be most of the way there.

5. Dual Value Proposition

Hybrid DD isn’t just about efficiency — it’s also about security. By tying elevator access to identity (phone, face, voice), buildings close long-standing security gaps.

The Bigger Picture: Smart Buildings Are Going Hybrid

Buildings are complex ecosystems of legacy systems, new technologies, and tenant expectations. Rarely can owners rip and replace everything at once. Instead, they adopt hybrid solutions that:

• Extend the life of existing infrastructure.
• Deliver measurable improvements today.
• Provide a bridge to the future.
• Hybrid lighting controls, hybrid HVAC systems, hybrid access control models — and now, hybrid elevators.
• For smart buildings of the future, hybrid is not the compromise. It’s the strategy.

Who Benefits from Hybrid DD

Tenants & Residents

• Shorter waits.
• Faster rides.
• Smarter, app-based or biometric access.
• Greater security.

Building Owners & Managers

• Happy tenants = higher retention.
• Stronger market positioning.
• Security integrated into vertical transportation.
• ROI without major capex.

Consultants

• A new specification option that balances innovation with cost.
• A differentiator in competitive bids.
• An easy client conversation (“same benefits, less disruption”).

Integrators

• New revenue streams.
• Faster projects with less OEM dependence.
• Ability to bundle with access control, visitor management, and video.

The Hybrid Advantage in Numbers

• Cost: ~10% of full modernization.
• Time: Weeks instead of years.
• Downtime: Zero cabs taken offline.
• Security: Built-in floor-level access control.
• Scalability: Benefits grow as adoption rises.

These aren’t incremental gains — they’re transformational, especially when you consider how visible elevators are to daily tenant life.

The Future Vision: From Hybrid to Intelligent Buildings

Hybrid DD is more than an elevator upgrade — it’s a piece of the larger intelligent building puzzle.

Imagine a building where:

• Your access card (or phone or face) gets you through the turnstile and assigns your elevator.
• The elevator takes you directly to the floors you’re authorized to access — and no others.
• Your movement data integrates with security, visitor management, and analytics.
• Energy use is optimized automatically.
• Hybrid DD is the step that makes this vision achievable without waiting years or spending millions.

Conclusion: Hybrid First, Always

• When industries face modernization challenges, hybrid comes first. It lowers cost, reduces risk, and delivers results immediately.
• Hybrid Destination Dispatch is no exception. It’s the logical next step in elevator evolution:
• Smarter than legacy systems.
• More practical than full modernization.
• Perfectly aligned with the hybrid building future.
• For building owners, consultants, and integrators, the question is no longer “should we modernize elevators?” The question is “how soon can we go hybrid?”
• Because in the hybrid era, waiting for full modernization isn’t the smart play. Going hybrid is.