1. An environmental monitoring system, comprising: a plurality of sensors for generating sensor signals responsive to sensed environmental conditions; a plurality of sensor modules each electrically connected to one of the plurality of sensors and including an electrical circuit for generating a ID signal that uniquely identifies the one sensor electrically connected thereto; a plurality of cables each having a first end electrically connected to one of the sensor modules and a second end terminating in a first electrical connector; and a central monitoring unit that includes: a plurality of second electrical connectors for connection with the first electrical connectors, a entral processing unit (CPU) for receiving the ID signals via the plurality of cables, for identifying each of the sensors in response to the received ID signals, and for configuring operating parameters for each of the identified sensors, and a storage medium for storing sensor data corresponding to the sensor signals.