A method for controlling a plurality of appliances, comprising: receiving a transmission from a controlling device at a power monitor, wherein the power monitor is associated with at least one of the appliances (12a, 12b) and is adapted to determine a power state of the appliance (12a, 12b); if the transmission received from the controlling device at the power monitor comprises a request for a power state of at least one of the appliances (12a, 12b), transmitting from the power monitor to the controlling device the determined power state of the appliance(s) (12a, 12b); and if the transmission received from the controlling device at the power monitor comprises a controlling device issued command to control an operational function of the at least one of the appliances (12a, 12b), using the controlling device issued command at the power monitor to cause the power monitor to discern to which of the appliances (12a, 12b) a command is to be issued and to transmit to the discerned appliance(s) (12a, 12b) a power monitor issued command to control the operational function of the appliance(s) (12a, 12b) specified by the controlling device issued command; characterised by accepting input into the power monitor to configure the power monitor to communicate the power monitor issued command to the appliance (12a, 12b); wherein the input comprises a sensed change in state of the appliance in response to the transmission of the power monitor issued command; and the sensed change in state is used to select certain power monitor commands from a command code library that are to be used for controlling the appliance (12a, 12b). receiving a transmission from a controlling device at a power monitor, wherein the power monitor is associated with at least one of the appliances (12a, 12b) and is adapted to determine a power state of the appliance (12a, 12b); if the transmission received from the controlling device at the power monitor comprises a request for a power state of at least one of the appliances (12a, 12b), transmitting from the power monitor to the controlling device the determined power state of the appliance(s) (12a, 12b); and if the transmission received from the controlling device at the power monitor comprises a controlling device issued command to control an operational function of the at least one of the appliances (12a, 12b), using the controlling device issued command at the power monitor to cause the power monitor to discern to which of the appliances (12a, 12b) a command is to be issued and to transmit to the discerned appliance(s) (12a, 12b) a power monitor issued command to control the operational function of the appliance(s) (12a, 12b) specified by the controlling device issued command; characterised by accepting input into the power monitor to configure the power monitor to communicate the power monitor issued command to the appliance (12a, 12b); wherein the input comprises a sensed change in state of the appliance in response to the transmission of the power monitor issued command; and the sensed change in state is used to select certain power monitor commands from a command code library that are to be used for controlling the appliance (12a, 12b).