In Building Management Systems, referencing is vital for creating a digital twin, a virtual model that mirrors real-world device connections. This helps diagnose issues, run functional tests, and ensure efficient building operations.

Building devices are interconnected, with systems like Chilled and Hot Water feeding Air Handling Units (AHUs), which then supply air to Variable Air Volume (VAV) units.

KODE OS uses various reference types such as isFeedBy, feeds, meters, and isMeteredBy to establish these connections.

Types of references that we can use are shown below:

Explanation:

• Device types that have symmetrical references applicable (e.g. feeds and isFeedby) can be connected together.

For instance:

• AHU and a VAV

• AHU feeds many VAVs but a VAV isFedBy by only one AHU.

• CHILLER and LOOPSYSTEM

• A CHILLER isAssociatedWith a LOOPSYTEM, while a LOOPSYSTEM hasAssociatedTag with many CHILLERS.

Devices - Referencing page 

You can see the referencing status of devices, including the number of required, in place, and missing references from the device referencing page. The status also breaks down references by type, such as "isFeedBy" and "feeds," making it easier to understand each device's connections by simply hovering over them.

To be able to have navigate on the Device Referencing page you need to follow the below steps.

• Go to KODE OS and select a site.

• Navigate to the Devices module from the main left sidebar.

• Click on the three dots button on the top right of the page and click on Devices - References.

Once you click on the Devices - Referencing option, a new page will appear where you have device options to select, filter specific devices and add references from this page.

To reference devices, select the devices you wish to reference with each other.

• Click on the "Add References” button.

• Select the type of reference from the Type drop down menu.

• Select the devices you want to reference and click on ‘Add’.

In the Search bar, when searching for devices by name, you can refine your search using the options on the left side based on your needs. These filters include the following search options:

Starts With: Returns the items where the name starts with the search word.

Contains: It returns the results that contain the search word anywhere on the name.

Exact: Returns only the items whose name exactly matches the search word. It's case-insensitive.

Or search by fields: 

• Name

• Path or

• Area Name
  
  

There is an information icon where you can learn how does it work, please see the screenshot below.

Enhanced Flow with Breadcrumbs

You can click on a device arrow to open its references in a right-side panel, which shows all references, their types, and related data. A breadcrumb trail at the top helps you to see devices' current location and navigate through them. This flow allows you to start at the top level (e.g., Condenser Water System) and drill down to zone devices (e.g., FCU, VAV), simplifying the review of references.

The breadcrumb feature displays the navigation path, helping you explore references without losing context. For instance, starting from the main table, you can select the Chiller, view its references, then choose an AHU to see its references, and continue this way. The breadcrumb trail, such as Chiller -> AHU_1, keeps users oriented and aware of their location in the hierarchy.

Clicking on the  "Add references" button, it will open a dialog from where you can reference the selected device by filtering them by type, area, and other criteria. The dialog offers:

• Filtering options by area and type

• Search functionality

• Sorting capabilities

Remove references 

To remove references, first select the site where you want to make the change. Navigate to the "Devices" section, then click on the three-dot menu on the right side of the list and select "Device Referencing”.

• Next, locate the device from which you want to remove a reference. 

• Click the small arrow next to the device, scroll to the bottom right, and select "Remove References." 

• Check the box next to the reference you want to remove

• Click the "Remove References" button again.

A confirmation pop-up will appear. 

• Click "Delete" to permanently remove the reference.

Individual Device Level

• Navigate to a Device of your choice.

• From device details, navigate to the  References icon is in the right side bar.

From the window that opens up, click on the button.

• The Add Reference popup page will open up.

• Select the type of reference from the Type drop down menu.

Select the devices you want to reference and click on Add.

• The referenced devices will show up on the right window when you click References icon in the right side bar.