Add README

README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# simple-ifc
+
+A small IFC building model used as a sandbox for exploring IFC model workflows with LLM agents and the IfcOpenShell MCP server.
+
+## What this is
+
+The model (`_test_simple.ifc`) is a simple house — four exterior walls, windows, a concrete floor slab, ground beam footings, and a pitched roof. It's intentionally small enough to be easy to reason about, but complete enough to exercise real IFC workflows:
+
+- **Quantity take-off** — running `ifc_quantify` to compute wall volumes, roof areas, window areas, etc.
+- **Construction scheduling** — `IfcWorkSchedule` with phased tasks linked to physical elements
+- **Bill of Quantities** — `IfcCostSchedule` with parametric quantity links and unit rates, exported to PDF via `ifc5d`
+- **IDS validation** — checking model completeness against Information Delivery Specifications
+
+The point is to see how well an LLM agent (Claude Code + the IFC MCP server) can handle multi-step IFC editing tasks — things that would normally require a BIM technician and specialist software.
+
+## Setup
+
+```bash
+pip install ifcopenshell ifcmcp ifc5d ifctester typst
+```
+
+The MCP server is configured in `.mcp.json`. In Claude Code it loads automatically; the agent can query and edit the model in memory across tool calls without round-tripping to disk between every operation.
+
+## Repository contents
+
+| Path | Description |
+|---|---|
+| `_test_simple.ifc` | The IFC model (IFC4 schema) |
+| `IDS/` | IDS specification files for CI validation |
+| `IDS/CI_project_checks.ids` | Project CI checks: QTO completeness, element naming, BoQ properties |
+| `IDS/EN_Basic IDM Check.ids` | Standard BIM Basic IDM checks |
+| `CLAUDE.md` | Instructions and reference for the LLM agent |
+
+## Validation
+
+Run IDS checks manually:
+
+```bash
+python3 -m ifctester IDS/CI_project_checks.ids _test_simple.ifc
+python3 -m ifctester "IDS/EN_Basic IDM Check.ids" _test_simple.ifc
+```
+
+## Generating the Bill of Quantities
+
+Quantities must be computed before generating the BoQ (or after any geometry changes):
+
+```python
+# In a Claude Code session with the MCP server active:
+ifc_load("_test_simple.ifc")
+ifc_quantify("IFC4QtoBaseQuantities")
+ifc_save()
+```
+
+Export a BoQ to PDF:
+
+```bash
+python3 -c "
+import ifcopenshell
+from ifc5d.ifc5Dspreadsheet import Ifc5DPdfWriter
+f = ifcopenshell.open('_test_simple.ifc')
+cs = next(iter(f.by_type('IfcCostSchedule')))
+Ifc5DPdfWriter(file=f, output='boq.pdf', options={}, cost_schedule=cs,
+               force_schedule_type='PRICEDBILLOFQUANTITIES').write()
+"
+```
+
+## Git workflow
+
+IFC files are plain text (STEP format) and diff cleanly. Merging requires `ifcmerge` as the git merge driver — see `CLAUDE.md` for configuration.
+
+## Copyright
+
+Bruno Postle <bruno@postle.net> 2026. All files are licensed Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International