A control system (100, 200, 800) for a plant (104, 204, 804), the control system comprising: a controller (102, 202, 801) configured to estimate a response time of the plant (104, 204, 804) and adjust a sampling rate based on the estimated response time, wherein the response time is a parameter that characterizes a response of the plant (104, 204, 804) to a disturbance; and a sensor configured to receive the adjusted sampling rate from the controller (102, 202, 801), collect samples of a measured variable from the plant (104, 204, 804) at the adjusted sampling rate, and provide the samples of the measured variable to the controller (102, 202, 801); characterized in that the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to classify the disturbance as either a setpoint change or a load disturbance and (i) if the disturbance is classified as a setpoint change, the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to estimate the response time by: identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking an area bounded by the identified portion of the signal; and dividing the area bounded by the identified portion of the signal by a magnitude of the setpoint change to determine the estimated response time; or (ii) if the disturbance is classified as a load disturbance, the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to estimate the response time by: identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking a magnitude of the signal during the identified portion to determine a time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches an extremum in response to the load disturbance; subtracting a time at which the magnitude of the signal begins to change in response to the load disturbance from the time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches the extremum to determine the estimated response time. a controller (102, 202, 801) configured to estimate a response time of the plant (104, 204, 804) and adjust a sampling rate based on the estimated response time, wherein the response time is a parameter that characterizes a response of the plant (104, 204, 804) to a disturbance; and a sensor configured to receive the adjusted sampling rate from the controller (102, 202, 801), collect samples of a measured variable from the plant (104, 204, 804) at the adjusted sampling rate, and provide the samples of the measured variable to the controller (102, 202, 801); characterized in that the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to classify the disturbance as either a setpoint change or a load disturbance and (i) if the disturbance is classified as a setpoint change, the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to estimate the response time by: identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking an area bounded by the identified portion of the signal; and dividing the area bounded by the identified portion of the signal by a magnitude of the setpoint change to determine the estimated response time; or (ii) if the disturbance is classified as a load disturbance, the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to estimate the response time by: identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking a magnitude of the signal during the identified portion to determine a time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches an extremum in response to the load disturbance; subtracting a time at which the magnitude of the signal begins to change in response to the load disturbance from the time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches the extremum to determine the estimated response time. (i) if the disturbance is classified as a setpoint change, the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to estimate the response time by: identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking an area bounded by the identified portion of the signal; and dividing the area bounded by the identified portion of the signal by a magnitude of the setpoint change to determine the estimated response time; or identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking an area bounded by the identified portion of the signal; and dividing the area bounded by the identified portion of the signal by a magnitude of the setpoint change to determine the estimated response time; or (ii) if the disturbance is classified as a load disturbance, the controller (102, 202, 801) is configured to estimate the response time by: identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking a magnitude of the signal during the identified portion to determine a time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches an extremum in response to the load disturbance; subtracting a time at which the magnitude of the signal begins to change in response to the load disturbance from the time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches the extremum to determine the estimated response time. identifying a portion of the signal associated with the disturbance; tracking a magnitude of the signal during the identified portion to determine a time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches an extremum in response to the load disturbance; subtracting a time at which the magnitude of the signal begins to change in response to the load disturbance from the time at which the magnitude of the signal reaches the extremum to determine the estimated response time.