What is a point cloud, and what can you do with one?

By the Section Scale team · Published 7 November 2026

What it is

A 3D laser scanner measures millions of points on every surface it can see. Each point has an exact position, and most scanners also record its colour from a built-in camera. Scans from several positions are joined together, a step called registration, into one model of the building: the point cloud.

It looks like a 3D photograph you can walk through, except that every point is measured.

File formats you will be given

• E57: an open format that almost all point cloud software can read
• RCP and RCS: Autodesk ReCap files, which open directly in AutoCAD and Revit
• LAS: used by some survey and mapping software

What you can do with it

• Take measurements on screen without going back to site
• Cut plans and sections anywhere in the building, not only where the drawings were taken
• Build or check a Revit model of the existing building
• Check new work against the design as it is built
• Keep a record of a building before works start, which is useful for listed buildings and party wall matters

What it is not

A point cloud is not a drawing. Someone still has to turn it into plans, elevations or a model. The files are also large, often several gigabytes for a house, so they need a reasonably powerful computer. Free software such as CloudCompare will open them, and Autodesk ReCap is the usual route into AutoCAD and Revit.

Point cloud only, or drawings too?

If your architect or engineer is comfortable drawing from scan data, ordering the point cloud on its own costs less and lets them draw exactly what they need. If not, we supply the point cloud with the drawings, so you have both the finished plans and the full measured record.

Related services

• 3D laser scanning
• Revit and 3D building models