A computer based system for controlling use of a plurality of sensors present within a predetermined environment and controlling how various ones of the sensors are grouped together into a plurality of groups for monitoring/control purposes, the system comprising: a processor for communicating with the plurality of sensors and using data reported from the sensors to generate a metric therefrom, the processor further configured to receive temperature data from designated groups of the plurality of sensors, the processor communicating with a computer system having a display system; a user interface system module adapted to run on a computer, the user interface system module being in communication with the processor and configured to generate a graphical user interface on the display system; at least one of a touchscreen display or a mouse in communication with the computer based system for enabling the user to interact with and make selections using the user interface system module; the graphical user interface being controlled by the computer based system and configured to generate an association matrix screen on the display system, the association matrix screen including a plurality of fields arranged in a matrix array for indicating a group assignment for each one of the plurality of sensors, and enabling a user to change a group assignment for any given one of the plurality of sensors by making a selection of a specific one of the fields, the selection operating to either associate or disassociate a selected one of the plurality of sensors with a specific group, and wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is able to be associated, using the associate matrix screen, with two or more different selected groups of sensors, and all the groups of sensors with which a given said sensor is associated with are displayed on the association matrix screen along with a separate information tab associated with each said group of sensors, each said information tab providing information on a performance of at least a subplurality of the sensors associated with a given said group of sensors. a processor for communicating with the plurality of sensors and using data reported from the sensors to generate a metric therefrom, the processor further configured to receive temperature data from designated groups of the plurality of sensors, the processor communicating with a computer system having a display system; a user interface system module adapted to run on a computer, the user interface system module being in communication with the processor and configured to generate a graphical user interface on the display system; at least one of a touchscreen display or a mouse in communication with the computer based system for enabling the user to interact with and make selections using the user interface system module; the graphical user interface being controlled by the computer based system and configured to generate an association matrix screen on the display system, the association matrix screen including a plurality of fields arranged in a matrix array for indicating a group assignment for each one of the plurality of sensors, and enabling a user to change a group assignment for any given one of the plurality of sensors by making a selection of a specific one of the fields, the selection operating to either associate or disassociate a selected one of the plurality of sensors with a specific group, and wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is able to be associated, using the associate matrix screen, with two or more different selected groups of sensors, and all the groups of sensors with which a given said sensor is associated with are displayed on the association matrix screen along with a separate information tab associated with each said group of sensors, each said information tab providing information on a performance of at least a subplurality of the sensors associated with a given said group of sensors. <EOS>