Setpoint recovery with utility time of day pricing

A method for operating an HVAC system, the HVAC system having one or more utility-powered HVAC units for conditioning inside air of a building and a local HVAC controller for controlling the one or more HVAC units, wherein the HVAC controller includes a programmable schedule that includes a nominal target setpoint and a nominal target time, the method comprising:

• storing in the memory of the local HVAC controller a utility pricing schedule that corresponds to scheduled price changes of a utility, including one or more enhanced pricing time periods each having corresponding one or more enhanced pricing time period setpoints;
• establishing an enhanced pricing recovery schedule based at least in part upon the nominal target setpoint, the nominal target time and the utility pricing schedule;
• and
• controlling the one or more HVAC units with the local HVAC controller in accordance with the enhanced pricing recovery schedule.

An HVAC controller for controlling an HVAC system having one or more HVAC units for conditioning inside air of a building, the HVAC controller comprising:

• a memory for storing 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;
• the memory also storing a utility pricing schedule that corresponds to scheduled price changes of a utility, including one or more enhanced pricing time periods each having corresponding one or more enhanced pricing time period setpoints;
• a controller coupled to the memory for establishing or modifying an enhanced pricing setpoint recovery schedule based at least in part upon the nominal schedule and the utility pricing schedule;
• and
• the controller configured to control the one or more HVAC units in accordance with the setpoint recovery schedule.