One integration, many different buildings
How Sally R uses Nobody Engineering to deploy its optimization software across
heterogeneous building automation systems
Sally R • Retail
Sally R integrates once with Nobody Engineering. Nobody then handles the different automation brands, controller generations, protocols, and site-specific interfaces underneath. This delivery model is illustrated by a 15,000 m² retail property in Stockholm.
The property's aging Trend Controls building automation system was connected in days, allowing Sally R to deploy its optimisation software without replacing the existing controls. Sally R reports that the property subsequently achieved approximately 30% lower annual electricity use.
Case summary
Property
Approximately 15,000 m² retail property, Stockholm
Existing system
Aging Trend Controls building automation system
Deployment time
Connected in days
Reported result
~30% lower electricity use over one year
Modernisation approach
Existing controls retained in place
An aging system with no path to modern software
The property's technical team was operating an aging Trend Controls building automation system. Trend is widely used in the UK but less common in Sweden, which left the site with a narrow support market and no straightforward route for connecting modern optimization software.
The practical choices appeared to be either to keep the system isolated or replace significant parts of the automation infrastructure.
For a property of this scale, replacement is not a neutral integration decision. A like-for-like controller upgrade could also preserve the existing brand dependency while producing limited immediate operational value.
€50,000+
per automation cabinet
€100,000s
for a full system renewal
The real requirement was therefore not a new automation system. It was a reliable software boundary around the existing one: a way to expose usable operational data to Sally R without turning Sally R into a controls-integration contractor.
One Sally R integration instead of a separate integration for every building
Building portfolios are heterogeneous. Different properties contain different automation brands, controller generations, protocols, naming conventions, and site-specific implementations.
Without a separate connectivity layer, an optimization provider has to solve these differences itself. The provider gradually accumulates a portfolio of vendor adapters, gateways, commissioning practices, protocol expertise, and support dependencies. Each new building risks becoming another custom integration project.
Nobody provides the abstraction layer between the heterogeneous building estate and Sally R. Sally R maintains one product integration with Nobody and receives connected buildings through a consistent operational model. Nobody handles the changing building-side details underneath that interface.
In practical terms, Sally R integrates with Nobody — not with Trend at this property, another automation vendor at the next property, and a different gateway implementation at the property after that.
This changes a new deployment from a software-integration exercise into primarily a configuration and commissioning exercise.
Two focused layers, clearly separated
Nobody Engineering
- Connect the existing building automation system without replacing it
- Handle system-specific access at the edge
- Maintain compatibility with different automation brands and controller generations
- Translate building-side data into a consistent partner interface
- Operate and support the building integrations as reusable infrastructure
- Absorb protocol troubleshooting and connector maintenance below the application layer
SALLY R
- Integrate once with Nobody instead of separately with every building automation system
- Consume consistent operational building data
- Reuse the same application logic, data pipeline, and operating workflows across sites
- Apply optimization algorithms and building-performance expertise
- Turn analysis into operational improvements
- Deliver the customer-facing energy and operational outcome
How the integration was built
1
System-specific connectivity at the edge
Nobody deployed an edge device alongside the existing building automation environment, handling system-specific integration locally without requiring any replacement of installed controls. The architecture uses controller-specific software agents and a compatibility library for legacy and closed building systems, including Trend IQ generations — encapsulating interface differences below the Sally R application layer.
2
Normalization into an application-ready data layer
Raw building automation data is not automatically application-ready — point identifiers, units, naming conventions, and access methods vary between controllers and sites. Nobody's connectivity layer converts the source-system representation into a consistent operational data stream, keeping all source-system complexity inside the edge and integration layer so the same Sally R application can be reused across different buildings.
3
Secure and remotely operated data flow
The edge initiates outbound encrypted communication to the platform using device-specific identity and centrally managed connectivity. Data-acquisition agents schedule collection independently by controller and data type, exposing normalized data to partner applications through software interfaces. Remote diagnostics reduce site visits; command activity is audited when write access is in scope.
Four layers, from building to application
1
Existing building automation
The installed Trend Controls system remains in place. No replacement, no hardware investment required.
2
Nobody edge
A system-specific software agent handles local data acquisition, encapsulating all vendor-specific complexity.
3
Nobody partner interface
Building data exposed through a consistent, normalized operational model — regardless of source system.
4
Sally R
Same optimization application and workflows reused across sites. No per-site integration logic.
From isolated legacy system to software-addressable building
Sally R reports approximately 30% lower electricity consumption over one year. The integration was completed in days, with existing controls retained in place throughout.
A repeatable delivery model for Sally R
Nobody handles the full automation compatibility stack, giving Sally R a repeatable delivery model:
- Sally R avoids accumulating one-off gateways and vendor adapters per site
- Sally R can reuse its application logic and operational processes across buildings
- Property owners can deploy Sally R across mixed building portfolios without standardising every control system
"The system was connected in days. It was compatible and easy to install. That removed integration work that is time-consuming and not our core business."
Erik Vallgårda • Sally R
Stranded on legacy automation, or scaling services across a portfolio? Pick one building. We'll have it connected before your next steering meeting.
Tom Novotny, CEO
tom@nobody.engineering
All rights reserved. Contact us at contact@nobody.engineering