PRECONDITIONING SURFACES USING INTELLIGENT THERMAL EFFECTORS

A thermal conditioning system for conditioning a seat surface of a vehicle or other surface. The system includes a thermoelectric Peltier device with a main side and a waste side. A flap adjusts a proportion of an airflow between a main side airflow path and a waste side airflow path based on whether the surface is occupied, the power provided the thermoelectric Peltier device, the flow rates along the airflow paths, the power provided to a blower, and/or other factors.