Strengthening the reach of programmable environments across the United States, Convia/A Herman Miller Company announces today its signature product--Convia Programmable Infrastructure--is rapidly gaining momentum in the marketplace and is now being adopted by partners who are integrating the Convia Communications Protocol into their own building infrastructure products. From office buildings, and architecture firms to university libraries and retail stores, facilities everywhere are embracing the power of this new technology. The next-generation programmable building platform, showcased this week at the NeoCon World Trade's Fair 2007 in Chicago for the first time, offers a flexible, cost-efficient, and sustainable building solution for commercial spaces.
"Convia Programmable Infrastructure is helping to rewire the commercial building environment for the 21st century, said Randy Storch, president of Convia. "With its energy saving attributes and superior flexibility and control, the system will undoubtedly become an industry norm. The numerous installations across diverse industries are a sound testament to the value the technology brings to the market."
Connecting with Convia Programmable Infrastructure
The signature Convia product is an electrical infrastructure that replaces the traditional "pipe and wire" approach to delivering electric in a space. It allows for the complete virtual rewiring of an entire floor or building in just minutes. Additionally, it has an embedded lighting control, enabling sophisticated energy savings strategies to be implemented in a space at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.
Gone are the days of hardwired switches, lighting, and other electrical devices. Convia takes an entirely different approach and creates a network of nodes that can respond to the ever-changing needs of its users. Switches, lighting, or other electrical devices become nodes on the network and are in constant communication with one another. Programming is simple and easy via a two-button wand or an easy-to-navigate web portal. The inherent nature of the network makes full-building lighting control simple and extremely cost effective. "With Convia, every single light in the building can be turned off with one switch with no added lighting control products, relays or expensive wiring schemes," says Storch. "And programming the electrical network established by the Convia system in a building couldn't be easier. Traditionally, this type of programming requires specialized staff, but we've turned that model on its head and replaced it with one that allows an area to be changed on the fly by anyone in the space with authorization."
"On average, it takes about three months to make renovations between tenants," said John Knott, Jr., President and CEO of The Noisette Company, LLC. In search of an easily customizable space to meet successive tenant needs, the South Carolina based developer of sustainable communities installed the Convia system in a space leased by McMillian, Smith and Partners, an architecture and design firm in Charleston, S.C. "With Convia, we can make dramatic changes to personalize space without the headache of tearing down walls or ripping out wires," adds Knott. "This saves everybody time and money. From the moment a tenant moves in, we can offer them a customized environment with the added benefit of built-in lighting control without bearing costs for changing the infrastructure to address their specific needs."
Evolving the Electrical Infrastructure
The simple elegance of Convia Programmable Infrastructure can be extended to other building infrastructure components as well. Mike McQueeny, president and founder of Air Fixture in Kansas City, immediately saw the opportunity to create a next-generation HVAC product using the Convia Communications Protocol. "We pride ourselves on pushing the envelope with product development to deliver our customers more value," said McQueeny whose Flexsys product is distributed by New York/Johnson Controls, one of the nation's leading HVAC distributors. "When we first saw Convia, we knew it was going to change the way buildings are constructed and we wanted to be part of it. We used the protocol to take HVAC to the next level and allow users to virtually re-zone their HVAC with the same two-button wand." Research indicates that the single largest complaint of workers involves the temperature of their work environment. The New York/Johnson Controls FlexSys system makes this a problem of the past as users in a building will be able to easily control the temperature of their work space by simply choosing which thermostat they want to control their diffuser.
"What began as a new way to deliver electricity-has quickly evolved into a versatile platform, offering the ultimate in flexible, energy-efficient buildings," said Storch. "HVAC is just one example of a building sub-system that can benefit from the Convia platform. We're being approached by dozens of building-infrastructure manufacturers who are recognizing the system's applicability, and are exploring possibilities to integrate it into their products and move beyond the realm of electrical and HVAC."
Achieving Flexibility -- Economically and Environmentally
In a recent third-party survey of 500 office workers, 77 percent said they would be more likely to implement energy saving strategies if it were easier. The level of flexibility and control the Convia system delivers and the "green" strategies it enables in commercial spaces--including 100 percent reusable components, elimination of substantial landfill material and annual energy-savings make it an extremely attractive alternative to traditional building products. The system delivers this infinite level of flexibility at an installed cost that is at or below the cost of traditional alternatives. Along with the up-front savings, users will continue to save on energy and renovation costs throughout the lifecycle of the building.
About Convia, Inc.
Convia/A Herman Miller Company seeks to change the way people design, build, personalize, and manage space. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Chicago, Convia is dedicated to offering customers agile and programmable environments, which allow for radically flexible spaces. For more information about Convia Programmable Infrastructure, visit www.hmconvia.com.
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