By Rob Kirkbride
HOLLAND — When you think of Herman Miller Inc., sleek office chairs and hip mid-century modern classics come to mind.


But wiring for a building?

That’s exactly the market the office-furniture maker wants to capture with its new Convia company and products, with a Herman Miller twist, of course.

Convia Programmable Infrastructure was being launched today at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Denver.

The company and product, another spin-off from Herman Miller’s Creative Office, is described as a revolutionary way to wire the work world.

Convia is a modular and programmable electrical infrastructure that delivers “plug-and-play” power without requiring hardwiring of devices or switches.

Here’s how Convia works:

Electricians install a gridwork of beams to create a ceiling. Each of those beams has plugs for “smart connectors” that allow the designer to put up light fixtures, security devices and other electrical items.

Switches can be wireless or wired. Wired ones are similar to an electrical cord that can be plugged or unplugged.

A wand controls the switches and smart connectors. Point the wand at the fixture and then at a switch, and fixture and switch are connected. Press another button on the wand and the connection is cut, without any wiring changes.