Patent ID: 8326466

Claim:
A method for operating an HVAC system for conditioning inside air of a building, the HVAC system including an HVAC unit and a local HVAC controller, the method comprising: controlling the HVAC unit with the local HVAC controller according to at least one nominal HVAC control parameter; recording in a memory of the local HVAC controller at least one measure related to an environmental condition of the building; the local HVAC controller predicting a Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) event of a utility supplying power to the building based at least in part upon the recorded at least one measure related to an environmental condition of the building; and controlling the HVAC unit with the local HVAC controller according to at least one CPP HVAC control parameter if the CPP event is predicted, wherein controlling according to the at least one CPP HVAC control parameter consumes less energy during the CPP event relative to controlling according to the at least one nominal HVAC control parameter.