# Floor Area Ratio Calculator MCP

> Floor Area Ratio Calculator determines maximum buildable footprint, total floor area, and green space compliance for any property plot size instantly. Stop guessing if your development plans meet complex municipal codes by checking site coverage, overall density limits, and required permeability all at once.

## Overview
- **Category:** real-estate
- **Price:** Free
- **Tags:** far, site-coverage, permeability, zoning-law, development-feasibility

## Description

Building a property is complicated. Zoning laws pile on rules from different angles—how much ground you can cover, how dense the structure can be across multiple floors, and how much open space must remain for water absorption. Trying to track these three metrics manually is slow; it’s easy to calculate a high total floor area only to realize you failed the minimum green space requirement.

This MCP connects your AI client directly to those core planning formulas. Instead of juggling spreadsheets or calling multiple zoning experts, your agent performs a complete feasibility check in one go. It identifies which constraint—Site Coverage, overall Density (FAR), or Permeability—is actually the most restrictive factor for your specific plot. You'll find that using this MCP through Vinkius gives you instant, quantitative compliance support. It moves development planning from educated guesswork to guaranteed calculation support.

## Tools

### max_site_coverage
Determines the maximum ground footprint allowed by zoning occupancy limits based on your plot size.

### max_total_area
Calculates the maximum total floor area permitted across all stories, adhering to overall density rules (FAR).

### calculate_permeability
Verifies that enough open ground remains after accounting for building foundations and minimum green space requirements.

## Prompt Examples

**Prompt:** 
```
We have a plot of 10,000 sq units. The zoning requires a max site coverage of 60% and a minimum permeability of 30%. What is the maximum total floor area we can build?
```

**Response:** 
```
First, calculate the max footprint using `max_site_coverage(plotArea=10000, maxSiteCoveragePercentage=0.6)`. Next, use that result and run `calculate_permeability(lotArea=10000, minPermeabilityPercentage=0.3, grossBuildingFootprintArea=<result from previous step>)` to find the actual usable footprint. Finally, input this reduced footprint into `max_total_area(plotArea=10000, maxFARPercentage=2.5, siteCoverageFootprintArea=<usable footprint>)` for the final answer.
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Given a 100 sq unit plot with an FAR of 2.5, what is our maximum total buildable area?
```

**Response:** 
```
Run the `max_total_area` tool: `max_total_area(plotArea=100, maxFARPercentage=2.5, siteCoverageFootprintArea=null)`. This will give you a quick estimate of total density compliance.
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Verify that our proposed 40% ground footprint on a 5,000 sq unit lot meets zoning standards for occupancy.
```

**Response:** 
```
Use the `max_site_coverage` tool: `max_site_coverage(plotArea=5000, maxSiteCoveragePercentage=0.4)`. This will confirm if your proposed footprint is within the legal limit set by the zoning code.
```

## Capabilities

### Determine maximum ground footprint
Calculates the legal limit for how much of the plot can be covered by a building's foundation.

### Calculate total permitted buildable area
Determines the overall upper limit on the total square footage allowed across all floors, based on density rules.

### Verify required open space compliance
Confirms if enough non-impervious ground remains after accounting for building foundations and minimum green mandates.

## Use Cases

### Initial site vetting for a high-density project
A developer needs to see if their 15,000 sq unit lot can handle a new mixed-use building. They ask the agent to run max_site_coverage and calculate_permeability first. The agent determines that even though FAR allows for massive total area, the required green space shrinks the usable footprint too much, forcing a redesign.

### Checking compliance after foundation changes
An architect modifies a building's ground layout on a 5,000 sq unit lot. They use calculate_permeability to ensure their new foundations still leave enough open space for the local mandate, preventing zoning violations.

### Quick check on total buildable area
A client provides a plot size and an FAR percentage (say, 3.0). The agent runs max_total_area to give them a fast estimate of the maximum vertical growth possible, without needing full site plans.

### Resolving conflicting zoning rules
A consultant is given a plot with high FAR limits but low soil capacity. They use all three tools in sequence: first max_site_coverage, then calculate_permeability, and finally feeding the reduced footprint into max_total_area to find the realistic maximum.

## Benefits

- Avoid costly design errors. By chaining tools like max_site_coverage and calculate_permeability, your agent tells you immediately if a proposed foundation violates green space rules before you even start drafting.
- Go beyond simple density checks. While many calculators only look at FAR, this MCP combines three distinct metrics—Site Coverage, Permeability, and Total Area—for a full compliance picture.
- Save hours on feasibility studies. Instead of running multiple calculations in separate tabs, your agent performs the entire multi-step assessment instantly using the specialized functions.
- Pinpoint the true constraint. When zoning rules conflict (e.g., high FAR but low permeability), this MCP identifies the *most* restrictive limit, so you know exactly where to focus design changes.
- Build confidence in your submissions. You get instant, quantitative verification against complex municipal codes, making your planning support airtight.

## How It Works

The bottom line is you get a single, reliable number that tells you what’s actually buildable under the current zoning rules.

1. Start by feeding the MCP the plot size and the maximum allowed ground coverage percentage to find the initial buildable footprint.
2. Next, run a permeability check using that calculated footprint against the required minimum green space percentage. This adjusts your usable building area further.
3. Finally, input the restricted usable footprint into the total area calculation tool with the project's FAR limit for the final answer.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How does max_site_coverage help determine buildable area?**
max_site_coverage calculates the maximum percentage of ground space your building foundation can occupy according to zoning limits. This sets a hard cap on the footprint before any other rules apply.

**Does max_total_area account for green space?**
No, max_total_area focuses only on overall density (FAR) across all floors. You must first use calculate_permeability to reduce the usable footprint before running this tool.

**What is the best workflow using the Floor Area Ratio Calculator?**
The correct flow is sequential: run max_site_coverage, then feed that result into calculate_permeability. Finally, use the restricted output from permeability in max_total_area for your final answer.

**Can I calculate FAR without knowing the site coverage?**
You can run max_total_area standalone, but this provides a theoretical maximum density. For real-world feasibility, you must confirm ground space limits using max_site_coverage first.

**What is 'permeability' in the context of calculate_permeability?**
Permeability refers to the amount of non-paved, open surface area left on a site. This ensures enough space remains for water absorption, which zoning laws mandate.