SamuraiBuddha/building-code-mcp

Building Code MCP Server

AI-powered building code compliance for expert witnesses and construction professionals

🎯 Project Overview

The Building Code MCP Server provides seamless access to building codes, standards, and local amendments through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Designed specifically for construction litigation expert witnesses, architects, engineers, and compliance professionals who need instant, accurate code references.

💼 Business Model

Target Market

• Primary: Expert witnesses in construction litigation (TAM: ~5,000 professionals @ $300-500/hr)
• Secondary: Architecture & Engineering firms (TAM: ~100,000 firms)
• Tertiary: General contractors & code consultants

Pricing Strategy

• Initial Setup: $500-750 (includes configuration, training, 10 domain MCPs)
• Monthly Retainer: $300 (includes 1 hour support)
• Overflow Support: $175/hour
• Emergency/Weekend: $250/hour

Value Proposition

"Save 20 hours per case on code research and compliance verification"

📋 Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Core Features

1. Code Search & Retrieval

• ICC Codes: IBC, IRC, IFC, IEBC, IECC via official API
• NFPA Standards: Free access to 300+ standards
• Local Amendments: Jurisdiction-specific modifications
• Historical Versions: Access to previous code editions

2. Expert Witness Tools

• Citation Formatter: Generate court-ready code citations
• Timeline Analysis: Track code changes over project duration
• Violation Finder: Cross-reference drawings against applicable codes
• Precedent Search: Find similar cases and rulings

3. Integration Capabilities

• Claude Desktop: Native MCP integration
• Document Analysis: Parse PDFs, CAD files, specifications
• Report Generation: Automated expert witness reports
• BCL Export: Training data for Building Code Language

User Personas

1. Expert Witness (Primary)

Profile: 60-75 years old, 30+ years experience, charges $300-500/hour Pain Points:

• Manually searching through multiple code books
• Tracking code versions and amendments
• Formatting citations for legal documents Needs:
• Quick code verification
• Historical code access
• Court-ready documentation

2. Architect/Engineer

Profile: 35-55 years old, project-focused, deadline-driven Pain Points:

• Code compliance during design
• Coordination between disciplines
• Keeping up with code changes Needs:
• Real-time code checking
• Integration with CAD tools
• Multi-jurisdiction support

🔄 User Experience Flows

Flow 1: Expert Witness Case Analysis

1. Upload case documents (depositions, drawings, specs)
2. AI extracts project timeline and key details
3. System identifies applicable codes for time/location
4. Search for potential violations
5. Generate preliminary report with citations
6. Export to legal document format

Flow 2: Code Verification

1. Enter code query (e.g., "IBC 2018 egress width")
2. System searches ICC API, NFPA, local amendments
3. Returns consolidated results with official citations
4. Highlights changes from previous versions
5. Provides interpretation guidance

Flow 3: Historical Analysis

1. Set project construction date range
2. Identify all applicable codes during that period
3. Track code changes that occurred
4. Flag retroactive requirements
5. Generate timeline report

🏗️ Technical Architecture

Data Sources

1. ICC Code Connect API (Primary)

   • Official source
   • JSON responses
   • Real-time updates

2. NFPA Free Access (Secondary)

   • Web scraping
   • Public domain
   • 300+ standards

3. Municipal Databases (Tertiary)

   • Local amendments
   • Jurisdiction-specific
   • Quarterly updates

MCP Server Structure

building-code-mcp/
├── src/
│   ├── tools/           # MCP tool implementations
│   ├── scrapers/         # NFPA and municipal scrapers
│   ├── formatters/       # Citation and report formatters
│   ├── cache/           # Local code cache
│   └── bcl-export/      # BCL training data export
├── docs/
│   ├── PRD.md
│   ├── API.md
│   └── SETUP.md
└── tests/
    ├── integration/
    └── unit/

🚀 Development Roadmap

Phase 1: MVP (Week 1-2)

• ICC API integration
• NFPA scraper
• Basic MCP server
• Citation formatter

Phase 2: Beta (Week 3-4)

• Cache layer
• Jurisdiction mapping
• Expert witness tools
• Testing with target users

Phase 3: Launch (Month 2)

• Multi-jurisdiction support
• Report generation
• BCL export functionality
• Customer onboarding

Phase 4: Scale (Month 3+)

• CAD integration
• AI violation detection
• Precedent database
• Enterprise features

🔒 Security & Compliance

• API Key Management: Secure vault storage
• Data Privacy: No storage of client case data
• Access Control: Role-based permissions
• Audit Logging: Complete activity tracking
• Compliance: Attorney-client privilege considerations

📊 Success Metrics

Business KPIs

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) < $500
• Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) growth > 20%
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) > $10,000
• Net Promoter Score (NPS) > 70

Product Metrics

• Query response time < 2 seconds
• Code accuracy > 99.9%
• Uptime > 99.5%
• User time saved > 15 hours/case

🤝 Contributing

We follow GitHub Flow:

1. Create feature branch from main
2. Make changes and commit
3. Open Pull Request
4. Code review and testing
5. Merge to main

See for details.

📝 License

MIT License - See for details.

🆘 Support

• Documentation:
• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Email: support@ehrigbim.com

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Built with ❤️ for the construction industry by Ehrig BIM & IT Consultation, Inc.