Herman Miller and Legrand announce alliance

Alliance will to develop comprehensive energy management solution for commercial.

By Source: Herman Mill, Legrand North America May 15, 2009

Marking a significant milestone in the future of commercial building energy efficiency, two industry powerhouses – Herman Miller Inc., a global provider of interior furnishings and related technologies and services, and Legrand North America , an innovative manufacturer of electrical and network infrastructure solutions – today announced a strategic alliance designed to broaden the reach of energy management strategies to fuel the adoption of flexible, sustainable spaces, ultimately reducing real estate and building operating costs while improving worker productivity.

The companies noted that demand for more energy efficient solutions is intensifying, with commercial buildings currently accounting for 18% of the nation’s total energy consumption, and energy dependence and management topping the agendas of key influencers.

Under the terms of the agreement, technology from Herman Miller’s Convia Inc. subsidiary will be embedded into Wiremold wire and cable management systems from Legrand. These include modular power and lighting distribution systems, floor boxes, poke-thru devices and architectural columns, which provide flexible, accessible power distribution to building owners and managers. Convia technology integrates a facility’s power delivery and other infrastructure and technology applications, including lighting, HVAC, and occupancy and daylight harvesting sensors into an energy efficient, easy-to manage platform. Under the new alliance, "Convia-enabled" Wiremold systems will enhance this capability by adding control and monitoring of office plug loads (the amount of energy drawn by devices from an electrical outlet) and lighting loads. The "Convia-enabled" Wiremold offering provides a truly integrated control solution for end-to-end power applications. "Convia-enabled" building infrastructure products will be marketed and sold by Legrand to building specifiers and owners through its network of over 2,000 electrical distributors. In addition, the two companies will continue to advance energy management strategies through the ongoing development of innovations that leverage the Convia technology for the built environment.