Controlling loads and collecting building information via IP networks

A method for controlling loads using an Internet Protocol (IP) network, comprising:

• a host transmitting a control message, which control message includes a first subzone parameter, over the IP network to a plurality of controllers using a broadcast IP address, wherein:
• each controller is connected to one or more loads, is associated with one of a plurality of building zones based on a floor plan of a building, and is associated with an IP address such that each controller has a unique IP address,
• each unique IP address comprises a network address and a host identifier,
• a first network address for each of one or more controllers in the first building zone is the same, and is different from at least one other network address of at least one controller not in the first building zone, and
• the first building zone is associated with at least first and second subzones, at least two controllers are associated with the first subzone, and at least one other controller is associated with the second subzone, and the broadcast IP address has the first network address;
• and
• each of the at least two controllers associated with the first subzone causes one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the at least two controllers associated with the first subzone to change in response to the control message;
• and
• the at least one other controller associated with the first building zone and not associated with the first subzone does not cause to change, in response to the control message, one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to the at least one other controller.