3D software developer at Creoox AG
Lindsay Kay
opensource.construction Standup #4, Nov 13, 2025
Introducing
xeokit SDK
the
for
AEC
Visualization
Hi, I’m Lindsay Kay
xeokit.io
-
Graphics Software Engineer, Creoox AG
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Originally from Christchurch New Zealand
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Lived in Berlin, Germany since 2010
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Background: browser-based 3D graphics
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~15 years working on open source medical + engineering visualization for the Web
Origins of xeokit
xeokit.io
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Started ~5–6 years ago
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Grew from 15 years of WebGL projects (SceneJS, xeogl)
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Libraries, medical and IFC viewers
xeokit + Creoox
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Joined Creoox in 2020
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Now a team effort
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Mix of software + civil engineering expertise
Challenges in Browser-based BIM
- Loading models quickly over the Web
- Control of tools and data
- Fitting them in browser memory
- Drawing them interactively
- Accurately viewing double-precision geometry on single-precision HW
Viewing BIM in the browser is tricky!
What is xeokit?
xeokit.io
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JavaScript SDK for AEC model viewers
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Supports IFC, glTF, OBJ, STL, 3DXML, XKT
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Minimal setup — a few lines of code
const viewer = new Viewer({ canvasId: "myCanvas" });
const xktLoader = new XKTLoaderPlugin(viewer);
xktLoader.load({
src: "myModel.xkt",
metaModelSrc: "myModel.json"
});
Example - Load a Model
How xeokit Delivers Performance
- Fast loading – XKT format
- Efficient memory – GPU storage
- Many objects – batching + instancing
- Accurate rendering – RTC tiling (no jitter)
- Smooth navigation – adaptive camera navigation
xeokit.io
2025: xeokit Differentiators (1)
xeokit
Others (AutoDesk etc)
- View real-world coordinates without rounding error ("jitter")
Real world 3D coordinate system
2025: xeokit Differentiators (2)
XKT: native compressed binary format
- CLI IFC->XKT model conversion tools
- Compress geometry
- Split models = smoother loading
- Quantized, tiled RTC vertex positions & oct-encoded normals
- 48 bits per position, 16 bits per normal
2025: xeokit Differentiators (3)
Cursor snap-to-primitive
- Devised by Toni Marti at Triba AG
- Makes accurate measurements possible / viable
2025: xeokit Differentiators (4)
Integrated semantic data model
- Loads IFC semantics into Viewer
- Classifies objects, useful for building explorer trees
2025: xeokit Differentiators (5)
View federated models
- Load multiple models
- Merge models into same explorer tree
- Merge split models
xeokit in Action
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xeoVision.com
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Our AECO model viewer and collaboration platform, built on xeokit
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https://xeo.vision/
Open Source Philosophy
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AGPL 3 license – always open
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Full source on GitHub
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Community feedback + contributions drive improvements
Looking Ahead
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Streaming / progressive loading
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Plug-in support + extensibility
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Advanced analysis + measurement tools
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Deeper collaboration workflows
Wrap Up
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High-performance, open-source SDK
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Built for AEC visualization in the browser
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Tackles challenges of scale, precision, and interactivity
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Evolving with community + Creoox team
xeokit.io
Thank You 🙏
Copy of Copy of xeokit: A Web Programming Toolkit for BIM & Engineering Graphics
By xeolabs
Copy of Copy of xeokit: A Web Programming Toolkit for BIM & Engineering Graphics
A presentation for WebGL Meeting 2020, looking at how xeokit deals with some of the technical challenges involved with viewing large 3D BIM models in the browser.
