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Calculated points

Calculated points and bill points make it easy to aggregate data across multiple points and bill points in Atrius.

Updated over 2 months ago

👍 This article will help you:

  • Create calculated points and bill points to aggregate point and bill point data

  • Understand advanced features of calculated points and bill points

  • Troubleshoot common issues

Overview

Calculated points and bill points can be created from points and bill points across different integrations, data types, or buildings, in order to perform higher-level calculations. Examples:

  • Create a calculated point to sum five electricity sub-points in a single building, in order to represent Whole building electricity use.

  • Create a calculated bill point to sum data from a historical bill point that is no longer receiving data with an active bill point with current data.

  • For buildings with renewable energy systems, compute net electricity use by subtracting energy consumption from energy production.

Calculated points and bill points support different input point types

Calculated points are created from points only, while calculated bill points are created from bill points or points. In other words, you cannot create a calculated point using bill point data, but you can create a calculated bill point using point data, if desired.

Create a calculated point

To create a calculated point:

  • Go to Points on the left side menu, or go to a building's Points tab. Use Search and Filter to adjust the table as needed.

  • Select one or more points using the checkboxes on the left side of the table. Then, go to Actions > Create calculated point.

  • On the Add a Point page, fill out all required fields. Then, select 'Create point'.

Field

Description

Point name

How the calculated point will be displayed in Atrius.

Building

The building which the calculated point is intended to monitor. It is possible to create a calculated point in a building with input points from other buildings.

Point scope

Point scope determines whether the calculated point represents an entire building or only a portion of a building.

Whole building: The point represents the entire building. Only one Whole building point may be specified for each point type, for each building.

Sub-point: The point represents only a portion of the building.

Hidden: The point should not be displayed in dashboards and apps.

Data type

The calculated point's data type. Use this to filter the list of available point types displayed below.

Point type

The calculated point's point type, which allows you to filter points in tables and cards in Atrius. Point type determines the available reading type and unit options displayed below. It is possible to create a calculated point with input points of other point types.

Reading type

Reading type determines how incoming readings are processed.

Storage unit

The unit used to perform all calculations based on the provided formula.

Display unit

The unit of measure in which point data are displayed in Atrius

Formula

Enter the formula that should be used to calculated readings for this point. When creating a formula, you can reference input points by appending a '$' in front of the desired point's Atrius ID. You can also use many of the same mathematical operators found in formulas created in spreadsheet applications, including +, -, *, /, and parentheses.

See Formula examples below.

Calculated points do not perform unit conversions of the input points, so if the storage unit of the input points differ, then a conversion might need to be added to the formula. See convert() formula example below.

There is a limit of 50 calculated points allowed in the formula.

Execution

How data will be calculated for this point at each resolution. There are 2 ways data can be calculated:

1) Calculate at live / quarter-hour / hour resolution and aggregate. The calculated point will execute the formula at the selected resolution, then it will aggregate the data into subsequent higher resolutions.

Select the resolution of the lowest resolution point in the calculation. For example, select 'Calculate hourly roll-ups and aggregate' to sum a point with quarter-hour data and a point with hourly data. For the purposes of this field, the resolution of manual point data is hourly.

2) Calculate at every resolution (no roll-up aggregations). The calculated meter will execute the formula at each resolution (quarter-hour, hour, day, month). This should only be used in special circumstances.

Partial calculation

If enabled, the calculated point will compute a value even if one of the input points is missing a reading.

If disabled, all input points must have readings in order for the calculated point to compute a value.

Formula examples

$point1 + $point2
(sum of points 1 and 2)

$point1 * 0.6 + $point2
(multiply point 1 by a factor of 0.6, then add point 2)

($point1 + $point2) / 2 - $point3
(sum of points 1 and 2 divided by 2, then subtract point 3)

$point1 > 0 ? $point2 + $point3 : 0
(if point 1 is greater than 0, then return sum of points 2 and 3; otherwise return 0)

$point1 > 0 and $point1 < 1 ? 1 : 0
(if point 1 is greater than 0 and less than 1, then return 1; otherwise return 0)

$point1 > 0 or $point2 > 0 ? 1 : 0
(if either point 1 or point 2 is greater than 0, then return 1; otherwise return 0)

date(2020,1,1) <= timestamp() <= date(2020,12,31) ? $point1 : $point2
(if date is between 1/1/2020 and 12/31/2020, return point 1; otherwise return point 2)

time(9,30) <= timestamp() <= time(17,30) ? $point1: 0
(if time of day is between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm, return point 1; otherwise return 0)

($point1 < 0 ) ? -$point1 : $point1
(absolute value of point 1)

avg($point1,$point2,$point3)
(average of points 1, 2, and 3)

convert($point1, 'kbtu/hour') + convert($point2, 'kbtu/hour')

(convert the units for point1 and point2 to kbtu/hour then add them values together)

Formula operators and functions

Operator or Function

Definition

+

add

-

subtract

/

divide

*

multiply

()

define order of operation, or contain list of parameters for a function

<

less than

>

greater than

<=

less than or equal to

>=

greater than or equal to

?

then (if/then statements)

:

otherwise (if/then/otherwise statements)

timestamp()

building local timestamp of the reading being calculated

datetime(year, month, day, hour, minute)

timestamp representing a day and time of day

date(year, month, day)

timestamp representing a whole day

time(hour, minute)

timestamp representing a time of any day

avg()

average

convert()

perform a unit conversion

Create a calculated bill point

To create a calculated bill point:

  • Go to Bills on the left side menu, or go to a building's Bill Points tab. Use Search and Filter to adjust the table as needed.

  • Select one or more bill points using the checkboxes on the left side of the table. Then, go to Actions > Create calculated bill point.

  • On the Add a Bill Point page, fill out all required fields. Then, select 'Create bill point'.

Field

Description

Bill point name

How the calculated bill point will be displayed in Atrius.

Building

The building which the calculated bill point is intended to monitor. It is possible to create a calculated bill point in a building with input bill points from other buildings.

Bill point scope

Bill point scope determines whether the calculated bill point represents an entire building or only a portion of a building.

Whole building: The bill point represents the entire building. Only one Whole building bill point may be specified for each point type, for each building.

Sub-bill point: The bill point represents only a portion of the building.

Point type

The calculated bill point's point type, which allows you to filter bill points in tables and cards in Atrius. Point type determines the available reading type and unit options displayed below. It is possible to create a calculated bill point with input bill points of other point types.

Reading type

Reading type determines how incoming readings are processed.

Storage unit

The unit used to perform all calculations based on the provided formula.

Display unit

The unit of measure in which bill point data are displayed in Atrius.

Formula type

Standard: The same formula will be applied to both cost and consumption. This is used for the majority of calculated bill points.

Advanced: Specify different formulas for cost and consumption. This should only be used in special circumstances. Example: compute waste consumption based on cost.

Formula (Standard)

Enter the formula that should be used to calculated readings for this bill point. When creating a formula, you can reference input bill points by appending a '$' in front of the desired bill point's Atrius ID. You can also use many of the same mathematical operators found in formulas created in spreadsheet applications, including +, -, *, /, and parentheses.

Calculated bill points do perform unit conversions by default, unless "Disabled unit conversions" is selected (see below).


There is a limit of 100 calculated bill points allowed in the formula.

Cost formula (Advanced)

Enter the formula that should be used to calculate cost readings for this bill point. By default, the cost of the input bill points will be used. You can also use the consumption of the input bill points by specifying consumption($BuildingInsights_ID).

Consumption formula (Advanced)

Enter the formula that should be used to calculate consumption readings for this bill point. By default, the consumption of the input bill points will be used. You can also use the cost of the input bill points by specifying cost($BuildingInsights_ID). Please note that this formula will also be applied to demand readings.

Disable unit conversions

If selected, then unit conversions will not be used when consumption values are calculated across bill points.

Partial calculation

If enabled, the calculated bill point will compute a value even if one of the input points is missing a reading.

If disabled, all input points must have readings in order for the calculated point to compute a value.

Emission and utility rates for calculated points

Atrius does not automatically compute emissions based on the emission rates of the input points. Each calculated point must have an emission rate structure assigned in the Emissions app.

Similarly, each calculated point must have a utility rate schedule assigned in Utility Prices. Atrius does not automatically compute cost based on the utility rates of the input points.

'Utility service' for calculated bill points

Utility service is a field for input bill points that determines how consumption and cost readings are used in calculated bill points. Primarily, it prevents double-counting of consumption if you are summing two bill points that each represent generation and delivery.

For point types of Electricity / Natural Gas:

  • Generation & delivery: The input bill point represents both generation and delivery. Both consumption and cost will be included in calculated bill points.

  • Generation: The input bill point represents generation only. Only cost will be included in calculated bill points.

  • Delivery: The input bill point represents delivery only. Both consumption and cost will be included in calculated bill points.

For point types of Water / Sewer / Waste / Compost / Recycling:

  • Primary: Both consumption and cost will be included in calculated bill points. This is often used for water bill points.

  • Secondary: Only cost will be included in calculated bill points. This is often used for sewer bill points, to avoid double-counting of consumption when summed with water bill points.

Troubleshooting

You can troubleshoot calculated points and bill points by viewing input point readings.

Select the 'View input point readings' or 'View input bill point readings' button, located in the Formula section.

The Input Point Readings or Input Bill Point Readings table displays how rate, consumption, and cost values are aggregated across input points or bill points over all periods.

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Above: 'Input Point Readings' table displays the calculated point's readings on the left and input points' readings on the right. Toggle between 'Rate' and 'Consumption', select a period, or select a resolution to adjust the table.

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Above: 'Input Bill Point Readings' table displays the calculated bill point's readings on the left and input bill points' readings on the right. Toggle between 'Rate', 'Consumption', and 'Cost'; select a period; or select a resolution to adjust the table.

Problem

Solution

The calculated point in Atrius is not showing expected values.

Make sure that your formula is inputted correctly, with the correct syntax and Atrius IDs of the input points you wish to use in the calculation.

The calculated point is not showing any data.

Make sure that all input points are reporting expected data. If 'Partial calculation' is disabled, then all input points must have readings in order for the calculated point to compute a value.

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