CityCAD
Unlike other CAD and GIS software, it was created for urban planners from the beginning, and makes it easy to create 3D models using tried and tested building types and urban typologies. CityCAD offers a quick and easy way of sketching urban masterplans in 3D. Junctions with simple kerb radii are automatically created where routes intersect. If you move roads, then adjacent urban blocks are automatically re-sized. CityCAD offers a range of sophisticated analysis features, giving you quantitative insights into your masterplan from the earliest conceptual design stages. You can create a custom library of land use types and apply these to building floors. You can enter assumptions for electrical and other energy consumption, water use and refuse generation rates (per person, dwelling unit or unit of area) and total values are instantaneously calculated as you build and evolve your design.
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ArcGIS Urban
Issues like housing availability, sustainability goals, and economic changes are compelling cities to better plan for the future. ArcGIS Urban enables planners and design professionals to collaborate across teams with a web-based 3D application that supports scenario planning and impact assessment. ArcGIS Urban enables the digital transformation of city and regional planning to encourage collaboration with community stakeholders and help all groups work toward a more sustainable future. Create, track, and review development projects with a digital twin of your city. Incorporating building information modeling (BIM) and other types of 3D information throughout the project review process gives planners and developers a common view of urban development guidelines and reduces the time required for building applications. ArcGIS Urban makes creating, editing, and managing land-use and zoning plans simple with an interactive 3D environment built with planners in mind.
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AutoCAD
Autodesk AutoCAD is the world’s leading 2D and 3D CAD software, trusted by millions of architects, engineers, and construction professionals. It provides precision tools to design, draft, and document complex projects across industries. The 2026 version introduces Autodesk AI, enabling automated drafting, smart block recognition, and real-time collaboration through Autodesk Docs. With customizable workspaces, AutoLISP automation, and access to over 1,000 apps, users can streamline every stage of their design workflow. AutoCAD also offers seven specialized industry toolsets that boost productivity by up to 63%, from architecture to electrical and mechanical design. Available on desktop, web, and mobile, AutoCAD empowers professionals to design anywhere with confidence and efficiency.
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ENVI-met
ENVI-met is a 3D microclimate simulation software. The software is used for a wide range of applications, including urban planning, building design, and energy efficiency, considering not only one single climate parameter, but all of them. ENVI-met can simulate a variety of climate conditions, including day- and night-time temperatures, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation in cities. The software can also simulate the effects of different building materials, such as glass and stone, on the climate of the surrounding environments. The program is used to predict the effects of urban design changes on the microclimate environment and human thermal comfort for people in cities worldwide. As climate change is having a major impact on our planet, it is essential, that more healthier and resilient cities are developed. To support these goals ENVI-met can be used to assess the potential of new buildings, green spaces, and urban planning and to make informed decisions.
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