This is a challenge of the AEC Hackathon – Zurich Edition 2025.

Architects and planners rely on various software tools. But, poor data integration across tools creates bottlenecks in the design process, hindering holistic project optimization.

OpenBIM currently lacks technologies for bi-directional data exchange, particularly re-integrating data into CAD | CDE is a challenge.

Limitations include: No near real-time data transfer or linking of data. Tracking of individual data fields is not possible. Authors for data fields cannot be assigned. Errors in the process due to manual transfer of information. And many other inefficiencies...

Since initiatives, such as Speckle, do not prioritize OpenBIM compliance, there is an opportunity to explore alternative approaches.

We envision a workflow with publish-and-subscribe semantics, built upon the openBIM standards IFC, IDS, bSDD to propagate model changes such as buildups & materials across an ecosystem of tools.

Let’s develop an openBIM-based protocol and a proof of concept (PoC) to exchange model updates in a distributed, bi-directional manner. The PoC will cover buildups, materials, classifications and/or building physics.

1. Test IFC File
2. Archicad PLA File
3. Archicad PNL File
4. Sequence Diagram

We managed to get six clients integrated on the PoC of the ifc data bus.

Short demo video of the PoC (click to play):

• ifcJSON Message Samples
• Grasshopper Client
• Web Client
• Blender Client
• Archicad Client
• MQTT Client

We've won at the hackathon in the category best-mashup-project. Thanks for your support!

• Pitch at Hackathon
• Pitch at BuildingSmart International
• Alignment with IFC5
• V0.1 of protocol