NECB MCP adaptation for OpenStudio

Release 1.2.1-necb.1 provides the OpenStudio MCP server with a dedicated, pinned NRCAN/NRC standards bundle for Canadian NECB workflows. This is an independent adaptation of OpenStudio(R)-MCP, not an official NRC/NREL release.

Build

Docker Desktop must be running in Linux-container mode. From this folder:

docker build --platform linux/amd64 -t openstudio-mcp-necb:latest .

This builds directly from the official OpenStudio 3.11.0 image. No existing openstudio-mcp:dev image or files outside this folder are required. Internet access is required for the pinned SDK image, measure archives, standards and gems. The supported/tested platform for this Canadian release is Linux amd64.

Related MCP server: revit-mcp

Connect Codex

Create three data directories outside this source checkout:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force C:/openstudio-data/inputs,C:/openstudio-data/runs,C:/openstudio-data/measures

Merge examples/codex-config.toml into your existing ~/.codex/config.toml. Replace its three host paths with your own absolute paths; keep /inputs, /runs and /measures as the container paths. Restart the MCP connection after building or replacing the image. The example uses Docker directly and does not require the Codex CLI to be installed on PATH.

Codex configuration fields follow the official MCP documentation. The example gives synchronous NECB calls a 1,500-second tool timeout.

Canadian tools and defaults

• get_necb_capabilities: installed versions, source revision, prototypes and defaults.

• create_necb_building: create Canadian prototype geometry and apply its NECB rules.

• apply_necb_ruleset: apply Canadian rules to an existing classified model.

The last two tools default to thermal_bridging_option="none", use_kiva=true and terrain="City". Explicit arguments override these defaults. none skips TBD bridge calculations; Kiva can be disabled with use_kiva=false to select NRC's documented crash workaround. Terrain is set before sizing and in the final model. Returned assumptions and foundation counts make these choices visible.

Ask the MCP host to call get_necb_capabilities. Expect available=true, kiva_default=true, thermal_bridging_default="none", and terrain_default="City". For MediumOffice creation, use building_type="MediumOffice", template="NECB2020" and a Toronto EPW path under /inputs with matching DDY and STAT files. Save with save_osm_model; after reloading, validate_model should report terrain="City", terrain_defaulted=false. It warns on terrain drift.

Versions and validation

OpenStudio SDK 3.11.0 / EnergyPlus 25.2; Canadian standards source commit 327689b0fe76331d781120ebc81d0f444f2546ba from nrcan_nrc (version 0.8.4). The Canadian Ruby bundle and exact Python versions have separate lockfiles. The original SDK/ASHRAE bundle remains separate.

docker run --rm -e RUN_OPENSTUDIO_INTEGRATION=1 -e MCP_SERVER_CMD=openstudio-mcp -e OSMCP_SANDBOX=auto openstudio-mcp-necb:latest bash -lc "cd /repo && pytest -vv tests/test_necb.py tests/test_validate_model.py tests/test_skill_registration.py tests/test_skill_docs.py"

See release notes for validation evidence and limitations, Canadian implementation for details, and NRC source review for the Kiva/gem decisions. Ruleset application and successful simulation do not certify NECB compliance.