Patent ID: 8538586

Claim:
A method for operating a utility-powered HVAC system for conditioning inside air of a building, the HVAC system having one or more HVAC units and a local HVAC controller having a user interface, the method comprising: maintaining in a memory of the local HVAC controller a nominal schedule, the nominal schedule having a number of days and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days, the nominal schedule further having at least one setpoint associated with each of the one or more time periods; receiving manual input via the user interface of the local HVAC controller, the manual input including: accepting entry of a utility pricing schedule that corresponds to scheduled price changes of a utility, including at least one enhanced pricing time period; accepting entry of at least one utility price level setpoint to correspond to each of the at least one enhanced pricing time periods; modifying or overriding the nominal schedule to include the utility pricing schedule, resulting in a utility pricing operating schedule; and controlling the one or more HVAC units with the local HVAC controller in accordance with the utility pricing operating schedule.