Automation
Sensors, logic, actuators, telemetry and control.
Automation Terms →SUSTAINABLE OASIS KNOWLEDGE
Glossary
A shared language helps Sustainable Oasis systems, experiments, guides and blueprints remain consistent.
This glossary defines the terms we use across energy, water, food, shelter, automation, research and the Control Room.
DEFINE
MEASURE
COMMUNICATE
COMPARE
REPLICATE
GLOSSARY PRINCIPLE
Use precise language when precision matters.
A measured value is not the same as an estimate. Recovered energy is not new energy generation. A prototype is not automatically a proven system.
Clear definitions help us preserve those distinctions throughout Sustainable Oasis.
GLOSSARY INDEX
Browse by knowledge domain.
Data & Research
Measurements, estimates, experiments, results and evidence.
Research Terms →Energy
Voltage, current, power, energy, storage and recovery.
Energy Terms →Food
Production, growing area, resource efficiency and aquaponics.
Food Terms →Oasis Systems
Integration, resilience, Control Room and replication.
Oasis Terms →Water
Flow, head, storage, filtration, recovery and autonomy.
Water Terms →DATA & RESEARCH
The language of evidence.
Data
Recorded information used to describe, compare or analyze a system or experiment.
Raw Data
Original recorded measurements before calculations, filtering or interpretation.
Demo Data
Placeholder or demonstration values used to illustrate an interface or workflow.
DEMOEstimated
A value based on assumptions, planning models or incomplete measurement.
ESTIMATEDMeasured
A value recorded using identified physical instrumentation or a verified measurement process.
MEASUREDDerived
A value calculated from other measurements using a documented formula.
Observation
Something noticed during operation or testing that may deserve documentation or further investigation.
Hypothesis
A testable proposed explanation or expected relationship between variables.
Experiment
A structured test designed to answer a defined question using controlled or documented conditions.
Variable
A condition, input or measurement that can change during an experiment.
Control
A comparison condition used to help isolate the effect of the variable being tested.
Repeatability
The degree to which similar conditions produce similar measurements or outcomes.
Uncertainty
The known or estimated limits around how precisely a measurement or conclusion can be interpreted.
Calibration
Comparison or adjustment of an instrument against a suitable reference.
Result
The documented outcome of an experiment after the relevant measurements and analysis are considered.
Inconclusive
A result where the available evidence is not sufficient to support or reject the tested hypothesis.
ENERGY
Core electrical and energy terms.
Voltage
Electrical potential difference, measured in volts.
Current
Rate of electrical charge flow, measured in amperes.
Power
Rate of energy transfer at a moment in time, measured in watts.
Power = Voltage × Current
Energy
Accumulated work or energy transfer over time, commonly measured in watt-hours or kilowatt-hours.
Kilowatt-hour
One thousand watt-hours of energy.
Load
Equipment or a process that consumes electrical energy.
Generation
Energy produced by a defined source such as solar, wind or micro-hydro.
Energy Storage
A system that retains energy for later use, such as a battery or other storage mechanism.
State of Charge
An estimate or measurement describing the available charge in an electrical storage system relative to its usable capacity.
Energy Recovery
Capturing useful energy from a process where that energy would otherwise be dissipated or wasted.
Energy Loss
Energy that is not delivered as the defined useful output or retained as storage within the chosen system boundary.
Efficiency
Ratio of defined useful output to measured input within a clearly stated system boundary.
Efficiency = Useful Energy Out ÷ Energy In × 100
Round-Trip Efficiency
Useful energy recovered from a storage cycle divided by the measured energy originally put into storage.
Direct Current
Electrical current whose direction remains consistent under normal operation.
Alternating Current
Electrical current that periodically reverses direction.
SO-EMS
Sustainable Oasis Energy Management System.
Sustainable Oasis Energy Management System
The Sustainable Oasis R&D architecture for measuring, organizing and analyzing energy flow through generation, storage, loads and recovery pathways.
SO-EMS →Energy Meter
The SO-EMS measurement module for voltage, current, power and accumulated energy.
M01 →Energy Router
The SO-EMS routing layer used to direct approved energy paths between sources, loads, storage and recovery.
M02 →Energy Storage
The SO-EMS storage layer for characterizing energy retained and later delivered by storage systems.
M03 →WATER
Core water-system terms.
Litre
A metric unit of volume commonly used in Sustainable Oasis water measurements.
Flow Rate
Volume of water moving through a system per unit of time, such as litres per minute.
Head
A measure related to the energy available from a height difference in a fluid system, commonly expressed as an equivalent vertical height of water.
Pressure
Force applied per unit area within the water system.
Gravity Flow
Water movement driven primarily by elevation difference rather than active pumping.
Water Capture
Collection of water from rain, wells or another defined source.
Water Storage
Retaining water for future use in tanks, ponds or other suitable storage systems.
Water Autonomy
Estimated duration that usable stored water can meet a defined level of demand.
Filtration
Physical removal or reduction of selected particles or contaminants through an appropriate treatment stage.
Water Treatment
Processes used to modify water quality for an intended use. Treatment requirements depend on source and use.
Water Reuse
Using suitable water again for another approved purpose rather than immediately discharging it.
Greywater
Wastewater from selected non-toilet sources that may, where appropriate and permitted, be suitable for defined non-potable reuse after suitable management.
Micro-Hydro
Small-scale generation that converts useful hydraulic energy from flowing or falling water into mechanical and then electrical energy.
FOOD
Core food-production terms.
Harvest
Usable food collected from a defined growing cycle.
Growing Area
Productive physical area used by the defined food system, commonly measured in square metres.
Productivity
Food output relative to a defined resource such as area or time.
Area Productivity
Usable harvest divided by productive growing area.
Food-Water Efficiency
Food produced relative to new water added during the same defined growing cycle.
Soil Growing
Plant production using soil or a soil-based growing medium.
Hydroponics
Growing plants without traditional soil using water and managed nutrient delivery.
Aquaponics
A recirculating system combining aquatic organisms, plants and biological processes.
Nutrient Loop
Movement, reuse and replacement of nutrients within a growing system.
Growing Cycle
Defined period from planting or system start through the relevant harvest.
AUTOMATION
Core monitoring and control terms.
Sensor
A device used to observe or measure a physical condition.
Data Logger
A system that records measurements or operating states over time.
Controller
Hardware or software that evaluates defined inputs and produces control commands.
Actuator
A device that physically changes a system state in response to a control command.
Control Rule
A defined logical relationship between an input condition and an intended action.
Closed-Loop Control
Control architecture where measurements are used to evaluate the result of an action and adjust future behavior.
Open-Loop Control
A control action performed without directly measuring whether the desired physical result occurred.
Telemetry
Remote transmission or collection of measurement and system-state information.
Fail-Safe State
A predefined system condition intended to reduce risk when control, power, communication or measurement fails.
Manual Override
A human-operated control path capable of superseding or bypassing an automated function where appropriate.
Alert
A notification that a defined system condition deserves attention.
SUSTAINABLE OASIS
Terms that connect the entire ecosystem.
Sustainable Oasis
An integrated framework for resilient energy, water, food, shelter, automation, knowledge and productive infrastructure.
SustainableOasis.life
The vision, movement, mission, stories and community layer of the Sustainable Oasis ecosystem.
SustainableOasis.store
The infrastructure, systems, kits, products and services layer of the ecosystem.
SustainableOasis.online
The measurement, research, knowledge, tools and digital Control Room layer of the ecosystem.
Control Room
The Sustainable Oasis digital operating view for organizing energy, water, food, storage, recovery and future sensor data.
Control Room →Living Lab
A physical or operational environment used to build, test, observe and improve Sustainable Oasis systems.
Living Labs →Resilience
Ability of a system or site to continue delivering important functions through disruption, scarcity or changing conditions.
Autonomy
Duration or degree to which a system can meet defined needs using available stored or locally produced resources.
System Boundary
The defined boundary that determines which inputs, outputs, storage changes and losses belong to an analysis.
Complete Oasis
An integrated Sustainable Oasis architecture combining energy, water, food, shelter and automation systems.
Complete Oasis →Replication
Rebuilding a documented system in another suitable location or context using lessons from prior versions.
Blueprint
Structured technical documentation intended to support repeatable construction or implementation.
Blueprints →Case Study
Documentation of a real project including context, implementation, problems, measurements and lessons.
Case Studies →Field Note
A contextual observation recorded during construction, testing, maintenance or operation.
Field Notes →SHELTER & INFRASTRUCTURE
Built-environment terms.
Building Envelope
The physical boundary separating indoor conditioned or protected space from exterior conditions.
Passive Design
Building strategies that reduce mechanical energy demand through orientation, shading, insulation, ventilation or other architectural choices.
Modular Infrastructure
Infrastructure designed around repeatable components, sections or units that can be assembled or adapted.
Demand Reduction
Reducing required energy, water or another resource before increasing production or storage capacity.
IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
Similar words can describe very different levels of evidence.
Estimated vs Measured
An estimate predicts or approximates a value. A measurement records a physical value using a documented measurement process.
Watts vs Watt-Hours
Watts describe the rate of energy transfer. Watt-hours describe accumulated energy over time.
Recovered vs Newly Generated
Recovery captures part of energy already present in a process. It should remain distinct from primary energy generation in the accounting.
Observation vs Conclusion
An interesting observation may justify an experiment, but it does not automatically establish its cause.
Prototype vs Replicable System
A prototype shows that something can be built. Repeated testing and documentation are required before stronger replication claims are appropriate.
Nominal Capacity vs Usable Capacity
The nameplate capacity of a storage device may differ from the amount safely or practically available in a particular application.
COMMON UNITS
Keep the unit attached to the number.
Volt
Electrical potential difference.
Ampere
Electrical current.
Watt
Electrical or mechanical power.
Watt-hour
Energy.
Litre
Water or fluid volume.
Litres per Minute
Water flow rate.
Metre
Length or elevation.
Square Metre
Area.
Kilogram
Mass, including food harvest measurements.
Degrees Celsius
Temperature.
Kilopascal
Pressure.
Percent
Ratio multiplied by 100. A percentage should always retain a clear definition of what is being compared.
SUSTAINABLE OASIS DATA LANGUAGE
One shared language across the entire infrastructure.
VALUE
UNIT
TIMESTAMP
SOURCE
DATA TYPE
USEFUL RECORD
EXAMPLE DATA RECORD
Context travels with the number.
A value such as “12.8” is ambiguous without a unit, source and classification.
A stronger record preserves what the number represents and whether it came from measurement, estimation, calculation or demonstration data.
EXAMPLE
Energy Record
DEMO
GLOSSARY + CONTROL ROOM
The same definitions should appear in our data, tools and documentation.
When the Control Room says generated energy, stored water or food produced, the Knowledge Base should define exactly what those terms mean.
This becomes increasingly important as sensor data and multiple field sites are added.
LIVING GLOSSARY
Definitions can improve as the project matures.
New modules, datasets, experiments and blueprints may require new terminology.
Definitions should be updated carefully so older documentation remains understandable.
NEW TERM
DEFINE
USE CONSISTENTLY
REVIEW
REFINE
Guides
See terminology applied inside practical procedures.
Guides →Field Notes
Use shared terminology when recording site observations.
Field Notes →Case Studies
Keep project performance descriptions comparable.
Case Studies →Blueprints
Use the same vocabulary across repeatable system documentation.
Blueprints →SUSTAINABLE OASIS GLOSSARY