AI for housing development: know the site before you buy it
Give Keystone a site boundary. Get zoning, floor area, parking and cost for your housing project, with the rule behind every number. India and the USA.
What does Keystone AEC do here?
Keystone AEC (https://keystoneaec.com) helps developers find land for housing, test whether it works, and plan the building, from mid-rise to high-rise. It checks zoning, floor area, parking and cost, then gives options with the rules and numbers behind each one. It covers India (RERA, NBC) and the USA (IBC plus city and county zoning).
Updated 2026-10-23 · Keystone AEC · India + USA
Why does building height change the rules?
Past the high-rise trigger, fire access, refuge floors, lifts and structure start to drive cost. A site that works at 8 floors can fail at 30. Mid-rise schemes face the same checks with a lighter load. Testing the options first stops a late surprise.
Four checks on every site
Zoning and floor area
FSI or FAR from the city or state authority in India. City or county zoning in the USA.
Parking and unit mix
Parking is counted for every use in the building, against the local norm, and tested together with the unit mix.
Cost and schedule
Cost and schedule on one connected model. Change an input and the result changes.
Fire and building code
The National Building Code 2016 in India. The IBC, as adopted by the state or city, in the USA. The high-rise trigger is checked.
From a site boundary to options you can compare
Find and screen land
Zoning, access, utilities, contamination and title risk, ranked by risk.
Test feasibility
Floor area, unit mix, parking, cost and schedule on one connected model.
Plan the building
Several master plan options, checked against zoning and site limits. Change an input and the result changes.
Options, numbers and the rules behind them.
Master plan options
Several options to compare, checked against zoning and site limits.
Unit mix
Produced with the options.
Cost and schedule
Shown with the options, on the same model.
Rules shown
Which rule it used, so you can check it against the local text.
Which rules decide a housing site in India and the USA?
| Check | India | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Floor area limit | FSI or FAR set by the city or state authority | FAR set by city or county zoning, not by state |
| Building code | National Building Code 2016. Fire and life safety sit in Part 4 | International Building Code, as adopted by the state or city |
| High-rise trigger | Set by the adopting authority. Several state rules use 15 m. Check yours | An occupied floor more than 75 ft above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access (IBC section 202) |
| Sales and registration | RERA. Registration is generally needed above 500 sq m of land or 8 apartments. States read the "or" differently | Not applicable |
| Parking | Local norm, counted for every use in the building | Local zoning minimum |
Keystone AEC shows which rule it used, so you can check it against the local text.
What this is not
Early feasibility is a screening decision. We say where the tool stops, so you know what still needs a licensed professional.
Read the AI for real estate development guide for the full chain from boundary to underwriting.
- It does not issue a compliance certificate. A licensed professional does that.
- It does not replace a utility, soil or legal study.
- It does not produce construction drawings.
- Where a rule is unclear, it says so.
Questions worth asking first
What is a high-rise building in the USA?+
The International Building Code defines it as a building with an occupied floor more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. The state or city adopts the code, so check the local version.
What is a high-rise building in India?+
The National Building Code covers high-rise fire and life safety in Part 4. The height trigger comes from the adopting authority, and several state rules use 15 metres. Check your city before you rely on it.
Does RERA apply to my housing project?+
Generally, registration is needed above 500 square metres of land or 8 apartments. State authorities read the word "or" differently, so confirm the rule with your state RERA.
Is FAR set by the state in the USA?+
No. In the USA, floor area ratio comes from city or county zoning. The same parcel rules can differ between counties, so check the local ordinance.
Can Keystone AEC plan the building as well as test the site?+
Yes. Keystone AEC (https://keystoneaec.com) produces master plan options and a unit mix, with cost and schedule. It does not produce construction drawings.
Does it work for mid-rise housing?+
Yes. Keystone AEC covers housing from mid-rise to high-rise in India and the USA. Height changes which rules bind, and the page shows which rule it used.
Sources
- Bureau of Indian Standards, National Building Code of India (SP 7:2016)
- International Code Council, sample ordinance for adopting the 2021 International Building Code (shows adoption is by state or local ordinance)
- International Code Council, Building Safety Journal, Talking in Code: high-rise building definition (IBC section 202, measured from fire department vehicle access)
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, section 2(k) carpet area, text as reproduced by Taxmanagementindia (secondary copy; check the Gazette text)
- Argus Partners, RERA regime: the exemption conundrum (section 3(2)(a) wording and how state authorities read it)
- Goa RERA, frequently asked questions (a project over 500 sq m needs registration even with fewer than eight apartments)
Checked 21 October 2026. Rules change, so read the current text for your site.
Bring us a real site. We will run it with you.
Keystone AEC (keystoneaec.com) · AI for real estate and data centre development in India and the USA.