D5 February Recap | Structured Adoption, Real-Time from Day One

February marked a turning point.

D5 Lite lowered the barrier to entry. AI removed technical friction. D5 3.0 delivered production-grade power. And across studios, real-time visualization shifted from experimentation to implementation.

From governance in AEC visualization to AI-driven real-time design, here’s everything that moved the conversation forward this month.

1. D5 Lite, Visualize While You Model

D5 Lite took center stage in February.

Designed specifically for early-stage design in SketchUp, D5 Lite brings AI-powered, real-time visualization directly into the modeling process. No exporting. No switching tools. No waiting for final renders before evaluating ideas.

D5 Lite (powered by D5 Engine): Real-Time Viewport vs. Final Render

Detailed technical comparison: Real-time viewport vs Final render quality.

D5 Lite Real-Time Viewport

D5 Lite Final Render

Render client-ready visuals in Lite, or sync to D5 Render for advanced refinement and animation.

For firms exploring real-time adoption, Lite lowers the barrier.
For experienced teams, it accelerates early decision-making.

→ Introducing D5 Lite: Beyond a Plugin

→ Watch the D5 Lite Beginner Tutorial

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2. Webinars and Workshops: Bridging Adoption, Workflow & AI

February’s sessions focused on how real-time tools move from experimentation to structured implementation.

2.1 Solving the Adoption & Governance Gap in AEC Visualization

📅 Feb 19  | with Andy Christoforou, Applied Technology Specialist, Associate Principal @KPF

As real-time visualization becomes mainstream, governance becomes critical. This session explored how firms can standardize workflows, manage licenses, and align visualization strategy across teams.

→ Watch the replay

2.2 From Friction to Flow: An End-to-End Workflow with D5

📅 Feb 25

A complete walkthrough of the D5 ecosystem, from SketchUp with D5 Lite, to high-end rendering in D5 Render 3.0, to asset and workflow management in D5 Works.

The focus: continuity. One connected design pipeline.

→ Watch the replay

2.3 Redefining Real-Time Visualization with AI Tools

📅 Feb 25 | with IME Malaysia

This session explored how D5’s AI tools are shifting rendering from manual adjustment to intelligent automation. A walkthrough on how teams can automate repetitive work while accelerating iteration speed. Less technical friction, smarter decisions, and faster delivery under deadline pressure.

2.4 D5 3.0 Deep Dive

📅 Feb 26 |  with TechData India

A deep, production-level session exploring how D5 3.0’s displacement, procedural buildings, volumetric clouds, AI tools, and performance optimizations reshape the visualization workflow from concept to final delivery.

2.5 Workshops

February also saw strong momentum in education, with eight campus workshops worldwide. A standout session took place at Cornell University, USA, where Campus Ambassador Russell introduced D5 3.0 to 500 students during the semester kick-off event, sparking engaged discussions around AI-powered tools and next-generation visualization.

In Thailand, Campus Ambassador Mr. Piyatron Painpitak led a fundamentals workshop at Assumption University, receiving highly positive feedback and strong interest in advanced training. The session introduced students to the fundamentals of real-time visualization in D5.

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3. New Tutorials

AI Scene Match and AI Asset Recommendation Tutorial: How to automate architectural render with AI Agent (environment, vegetation, lighting)

Procedural Building Facades: How to batch set your building facades in one click

Master Architecture Render in 15 Minutes! AI, Material, Environment, Lighting & Post-production

4. Blog Highlights | Deeper Technical Insight

4.1 What is D5 Engine?

A closer look at D5’s proprietary real-time core, built specifically for spatial design and full path tracing precision.

→ Read More

Real-Time Viewport (vs UE Lumen)

*Tested on NVIDIA RTX 4070

Detailed feature comparison: UE Lumen vs D5 Engine

UE Lumen	D5 Engine
Noticeable artifacts beyond directional light	Accurate lighting from all sources with complete GI

4.2 Mastering Displacement Maps

Learn how D5’s true displacement creates physical surface depth — eliminating flat textures and increasing realism in real time.

→ Read More

5. D5 3.0 Challenge

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The D5 3.0 Challenge is well underway, and we’ve already received outstanding entries from architects and visualization artists exploring the full power of 3.0.

Now we’re waiting to see yours.

Whether you're testing D5 3.0 for the first time or running it in production, this is your opportunity to showcase your workflow — and get rewarded for it.

5.1 Explorer Track

New to D5 3.0? Submit your first project and unlock a 5-day D5 Pro Trial. Selected works receive extended Pro access.

5.2 Workflow Pioneer

Already building with D5 3.0? Show us your real production workflow.
Top entries receive a 3-month D5 Pro license and are shortlisted for Artwork of the Year.

⏰ Deadline: April 20, 2026

The community is moving fast. Don’t miss your chance to be featured.

→ Join the Challenge

6. The Bigger Picture

February reinforced a clear direction: real-time visualization is becoming operational, not experimental.

With structured adoption discussions, AI-assisted efficiency, and scalable production workflows, firms are integrating D5 more deliberately into their design and delivery processes.

The focus is no longer on features alone, but on workflow reliability, team alignment, and measurable efficiency gains.

That transition is now in motion.