--- title: "Glossary" url: "https://help.aedifion.io/en/article/glossary" language: "en" last_updated: "2026-02-26T08:19:48.348Z" --- # Glossary Explore commonly used terms, vocabulary and definitions of terminology. ## # ### .controls-algorithms A cloud-based AI-driven product for optimal building operation. It continuously monitors and regulates HVAC systems based on demand, weather forecasts, and capacity utilization, ensuring efficiency, sustainability, and occupant comfort through predictive and adaptive control. ### .elevate A premium service providing expert engineering support for energy efficiency optimization. It offers tailored guidance and resources to implement energy-saving measures, enhance building operations, and achieve greater operational effectiveness. ## A  ### AI Controls The use of smart algorithms to automate systems; [AI Apps](https://glossary/#app). They run on different [components](https://glossary/#component) for different purposes. ### Analysis function An analysis function is a generic function to determine a specific analysis output. An analysis function takes arbitrary many [pins](https://glossary/#pin) of a [component data model](https://glossary/#component-data-model) and variable time spans as inputs. An analysis function can be designed for a specific component or be applicable on several components. ### Analysis result The output generated by an [analysis function](https://glossary/#analysis-function) based on the input component data and time spans. An analysis result represents specific insights, metrics, or conclusions derived from the data analysis, such as performance trends, efficiency rates, error patterns, or predictive outcomes. The result is often tailored to the component(s) analyzed and may vary depending on the scope and design of the analysis function. ### App A controls app uses [algorithms](https://glossary/#%2Econtrols-algorithms) to analyze input data, make decisions, and optimize system operations to achieve specific goals, such as improving efficiency, reducing costs, or enhancing performance. ### Asset A [building](https://glossary/#building), property, or facility that is monitored and managed within the platform. An asset represents the broader context in which energy consumption, optimization, and performance metrics are tracked, encompassing all associated [components](https://glossary/#component) and systems. Examples of assets include office buildings, industrial facilities, or residential properties. ### Attribute An attribute is a generic placeholder for meta data of a [component data model](https://glossary/#component-data-model). An attribute is used to [map](https://glossary/#mapping) a meta data value to an [instanced component](https://glossary/#instanced-component) within a specific [project](https://glossary/#project). Attributes are designed in analogy to [tags](https://glossary/#tag). ### Automation network The automation network locally connects different [devices](https://glossary/#device) within a [building](https://glossary/#building) or [plant](https://glossary/#plant). In most cases, the automation network is a dedicated physical wired network such as an Ethernet but can also be wireless or virtual. ## B ### Building A physical building, i.e., an office, a factory, a hotel, and so forth. This term is often used synonymously with [project](https://glossary/#project) despite being a special case of a project. ## C  ### Company The highest-level entity on the platform, representing an organization. Companies have strictly separated resources such as [users](https://glossary/#user), [projects](https://glossary/#project), [datapoints](https://glossary/#datapoint), ensuring no cross-access between them. ### Component A component is a physical or virtual object or system in a [building](https://glossary/#building), [plant](https://glossary/#plant), district and so forth such as an automation [device](https://glossary/#device), valve, heat pump, room etc. A component may be an aggregation of several components. In general, a component is part of an automation or monitoring system and therefore has varying numbers of [datapoints](https://glossary/#datapoint) measuring, describing or influencing the state of the component. ### Component data model A component data model is a generic data model of a [component](https://glossary/#component). It can support an arbitrary number of [pins](https://glossary/#pin) and [tags](https://glossary/#tag) for metadata. ## D ### Datapoint A sensor, actor, or other physical or virtual data source. A datapoint belongs to exactly one [project](https://glossary/#project). It emits [observations](https://glossary/#observation) that form the [time series](https://glossary/#time-series) of this datapoint. They are the basis for [analysis results](https://glossary/#analysis-result), component design and calculations. ### Datapoint key Datapoint keys define the naming structure of [datapoints](https://glossary/#datapoint) enabling standardization, translations, and compliance with naming conventions like BUDO. The standard datapoint key is called *`aedifion-fully-qualified-datapointname`*, comprising the [device](https://glossary/#device) name, datapoint name, datapoint type and instance id. ### Device A physical building automation device, e.g., a programmable logic controller, connected to a building [automation network](https://glossary/#automation-network), e.g., via BACnet or Modbus. ### Digital twin A digital replica of a physical [asset](https://glossary/#asset), system, or process that updates in real-time, enabling monitoring, simulation, and predictive analysis for optimization. ## E ### Edge device A hardware component that processes real-time data locally from building systems (e.g., HVAC, meters, sensors) before transmitting insights to the cloud, reducing latency and improving efficiency. ## I ### Input Input data refers to the measured or observed parameters required for optimization calculations. These [datapoints](https://glossary/#datapoint) are essential for the functionality of an [app](https://glossary/#app). ### Instanced component An instanced component is a [component data model](https://glossary/#component-data-model) instanced for a specific [project](https://glossary/#project) and it is associated to exactly one project. The [pins](https://glossary/#pin) of the component data model it is instanced from may be mapped to the [datapoints](https://glossary/#datapoint) of the project. Meta data [tags](https://glossary/#tag) may be added to an instanced component to further individualize it. ## K  ### Key figures Key figures refer to the primary and most critical data points that an [analysis function](https://glossary/#analysis-function) processes and evaluates. ## M  ### Mapping Mapping is the process of individualizing an [instanced component](https://glossary/#instanced-component). It includes the linking of a [datapoint](https://glossary/#datapoint) and thus its [time series](https://glossary/#time-series) of a [project](https://glossary/#project) with a [pin](https://glossary/#pin) and parametrizing [attributes](https://glossary/#attribute) with meta data. ### Measurement Strictly speaking a special case of an [observation](https://glossary/#observation) but mostly used synonymously. ### Meter data The recorded values from a meter that measure electricity, gas, or heat usage at a specific time. These readings provide raw data for tracking resource consumption. When aggregated over a period, they form consumption data, which represents total resource usage and is used for analysis, reporting, and optimization. ## O ### Observation A single recorded value from a [datapoint](https://glossary/#datapoint) a specific time. An observation can be measured (e.g., sensor readings) or generated (e.g., from simulations). Each observation is tagged with a [time stamp](https://glossary/#time-stamp) and may have metadata for further classification. ### Output Output data refers to the calculated result or action derived from the [input](https://glossary/#input) data used to optimize the system in from of [apps](https://glossary/#app). ## P ### Pin A pin is a generic placeholder for a [datapoint](https://glossary/#datapoint) within a [component data model](https://glossary/#component-data-model). A pin is used to [map](https://glossary/#mapping) a datapoint and its [time series](https://glossary/#time-series) to an [instanced component](https://glossary/#instanced-component) within a specific [project](https://glossary/#project). ### Plant Plant summarizes all locally connected entities of automation hardware, sensors and actors. In many cases, it is synonymously used with building automation system, energy system or building energy system. ### Project A logical entity that corresponds to an administrative subdomain in a [company](https://glossary/#company), bundling [instanced components](https://glossary/#instanced-component), [datapoints](https://glossary/#datapoint), and [roles](https://glossary/#role). In most cases, a project corresponds to an actual building or larger device but may also represent a simulation or a static data set. ## R ### Realized savings The energy consumption and cost reductions that have already been successfully achieved and implemented. ### Role A role is a bundle of permissions that define and limit resource-access company- or project-wide. A special "admin" role with all permissions is created automatically for each [company](https://glossary/#company) and [project](https://glossary/#project). ## S  ### Savings refer to the reduction in energy consumption and associated costs achieved for an asset through optimization measures or operational improvements. They can be **realized**, meaning successfully implemented and already achieved, or **open**, representing potential savings that have yet to be realized and are often presented as actionable recommendations. The **optimization factor** is a metric used to quantify the efficiency of these measures, typically expressed as a percentage or ratio comparing baseline and optimized performance. ### Setpoint A setpoint is a predefined or adjustable target value for a specific parameter in a building’s system (e.g., temperature) that guides the operation of equipment or [components](https://glossary/#component). It serves as a reference for optimizing performance, ensuring efficient system operation, occupant comfort, and alignment with operational goals. ## T ### Tag A short piece of information that can be attached to an [instanced component](https://glossary/#instanced-component) or [datapoint](https://glossary/#datapoint). A tag has a key and a value, e.g., `unit=degreeCelsius` or `writable=False`. ### Technical Availability (TA) This term refers to all the technical installations within and around a [project](https://glossary/#project) that ensure its functional usability. It includes systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning. ### Time series A chronological sequence of observations collected from a [datapoint](https://glossary/#datapoint) over time. Time series data is essential for tracking trends, detecting anomalies, and performing analysis in building automation and optimization. ### Time stamp A certain date and time usually in [RFC3339](https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3339.txt)\-format, e.g., `2018-11-11T11:11:11+01:00`. ## U ### User An account on the aedifion.io platform corresponding to a real person. A user always belongs to exactly one [company](https://glossary/#company). ## V ### Virtual meter A software-based representation of a meter that calculates energy consumption, costs, or other metrics by aggregating data from multiple physical meters, sensors, or [components](https://glossary/#component). Virtual meters provide a consolidated view of resource usage for specific areas, systems, or [assets](https://glossary/#asset), enabling more detailed [analysis](https://glossary/#analysis) and optimization without requiring additional physical metering infrastructure. ## W  ### Well-being A measure of occupant comfort, health, and satisfaction, influenced by factors like air quality, temperature, lighting, and noise levels.