Optimizing building HVAC efficiency and occupant comfort

A method for improving user comfort and optimizing building energy efficiency in a commercial building served by an HVAC system, comprising:

• identifying a zone of a building that is served by a zone-wide primary comfort component, the zone-wide primary comfort component operated by a zone controller;
• designating plural subzones within the zone, each subzone arranged to receive thermal comfort conditioning from the primary comfort component;
• in each designated subzone, providing a local subzone controller associated with the corresponding subzone, thereby defining a one-to-one relationship between each local subzone controller and the corresponding subzone;
• in each local subzone controller, identifying at least one auxiliary thermal comfort control component that is local to the subzone and operated by the subzone controller;
• in each local subzone controller, determining current occupancy status, current thermal comfort conditions and current comfort settings of the subzone;
• in each local subzone controller, calculating a comfort factor adjustment to satisfy the current subzone comfort settings based on the current occupancy status and the current thermal comfort conditions;
• determining a least-cost or most energy efficient combination of adjustments (a) to the zone-wide primary comfort component and (b) to operation of the subzone auxiliary thermal comfort component(s) to achieve the calculated comfort factor adjustment;
• communicating the determined primary comfort component adjustment as a request to the zone controller;
• determining and executing an immediate adjustment to operation of the identified subzone auxiliary thermal comfort component(s) to achieve the calculated comfort factor adjustment with the current state of the zone wide thermal comfort component so as to accelerate achieving the desired subzone thermal comfort setting;
• and
• periodically readjusting the operation of the subzone auxiliary comfort component(s) as the zone-wide comfort component is adjusted by the zone controller, thereby to increase overall efficiency of the conditioning system and meet the current desired thermal comfort setting at all subzones.