The future Nice Police Headquarters is a huge project that will bring together 2,000 national and municipal police officers in a 50,000 m² building with nine floors. The site will also house the National Police Information and Command Centre and the Nice Urban Hypervision and Command Centre, a first in France. Located in the heart of the city, on the site of the former Saint-Roch hospital, the project includes the seismic retrofitting of the central building, the construction of new buildings, interior work and four years of maintenance. Work began in March 2023, with delivery scheduled for June 2026. All electrical studies are part of a fully BIM-based approach.
Lot assigned to Jean Graniou: scope and key data
Jean Graniou, a subsidiary of VINCI Energies, is responsible for the CFO, VDI, GTB, security, SSI, public address and lightning protection systems. The electrical scope includes numerous components: two 20 kV sources via two delivery substations, two generators, four low-voltage switchboards, around 140 distribution boards and some 26,000 terminals. The CFO/CFA studies are integrated into the project’s digital model. This volume requires rigorous organisation, sustained production of diagrams and consistent graphics throughout the programme.
An XXL pilot project for SchemELECT software
This project serves as a large-scale pilot for the SchemELECT software on a major tertiary project. B. Philippe, a member of Jean Graniou‘s design office, sums it up:
“This was our first truly 100% BIM project with Revit. Before, we mainly worked with AutoCADTM. The arrival of SchemELECT (for diagrams) and LISETM (for calculations) has profoundly changed the way we design diagrams.” The pilot nature of the project revealed specific tooling and methodology requirements, while validating the ability of the SchemELECT/LISE ecosystem to support an industrial pace on a programme of this size.
Data chaining and schema generation
The teams estimate that 70% of the diagrams were produced automatically via the close link between LISETM and SchemELECT.
‘We saw the difference right from the first few weeks,’ says B. Philippe. ‘With SchemELECT, we’ve clearly gained in speed and consistency. It’s a professional tool that’s much more structured than a traditional AutoCADTM environment.’ SchemELECT is therefore a true CAD software for electrical schematics, integrating into the project’s BIM workflow.
Initial configuration: a prerequisite for success
Jean Graniou states that configuring the SchemELECT software before using the automation systems ensures consistency across the various diagrams (TGGE, multiple TGBTs, TGHQ, TGS, etc.). This methodology is already being leveraged in new projects.
Constant and responsive FTZ support
Jean Graniou highlights the responsiveness of the FTZ teams.
‘FTZ support was very attentive and responsive,’ emphasises B. Philippe. ‘Whenever we needed clarification on any point, we received a quick response. That really helped us move forward.’
Some requirements called for changes. FTZ and BBS worked together to produce solutions tailored to the context of the project, with tight deadlines and coordination between teams.
Gains, learning and maturity
The project required adaptation to new software tools, but the teams are seeing clear gains.
‘We had a bit of an adjustment period at the beginning, but that’s normal for a project of this size,’ notes B. Philippe. “Today, we know we can rely on SchemELECT and LISE for our future projects. ” Graniou considers this experience to be an asset: it consolidates best practices, establishes the configuration framework and highlights areas for improvement for future projects.
Towards new projects with FTZ
Jean Graniou‘s technical management team has confirmed its continued partnership with SchemELECT + LISE for future projects. Feedback from the Hôtel des Polices confirms the relevance of this tool-method combination in a large tertiary context for projects with or without BIM.
