In a method for distributing cooling resources to a plurality of locations using a plurality of hierarchically identified cooling microgrids, conditions detected at the plurality of locations are received. Each level of the hierarchically identified cooling microgrids is a plurality of resource actuators configured to vary distribution of the cooling resources. Settings for the plurality of resource actuators in each of the levels in the cooling microgrid hierarchy that substantially maintain conditions at the plurality of locations within predetermined ranges are determined using a processor, while substantially optimizing at least one measure of performance associated with supplying the cooling resources to the plurality of locations.