Connect to RTLCA × Autodesk - Real-Time LCA Docs

The Autodesk-scoped MCP endpoint exposes Real-Time LCA’s project, material, and EPD tools alongside tools that read from your Autodesk Forma hub and Revit projects. Use it when your design data lives in Forma or Revit and you want an AI client to query, map, and report against it without manual export/import. All clients connect to https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp and authenticate via Autodesk Platform Services (APS) — there is no client-side “Sign in” button to click. The first time you send a prompt, the response will include a link; click it to sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Don’t use Forma or Revit? Use the standard Connect to RTLCA page instead — it doesn’t require an Autodesk account.

Prerequisites (all clients)

Autodesk account with access to an active Forma hub
Real-Time LCA account (for the LCA-side tools exposed on this endpoint)
AI client of your choice (see tabs below)

How authentication works

Unlike the standard RTLCA endpoint, the Autodesk endpoint defers authentication until you actually call a tool:

Add the server (no auth at this point)

Configure your client to point at https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp. No token, key, or “Sign in” step in the client config.

Send your first prompt

The MCP server detects that you’re not yet authenticated and returns a response containing an APS authentication link.

Click the link and sign in with Autodesk

Resend the prompt

The original prompt now succeeds. The token persists for subsequent calls; you won’t be asked again until it expires.

The steps below show the client-side configuration only — the auth flow above applies identically to every client.

Connect the Claude web app at claude.ai. You don’t need Claude Desktop installed — this works in any browser.

Open connector settings

At claude.ai, open Settings → Connectors.

Add a custom MCP connector

Choose Add custom connector → MCP server. Fill in:

Name: Real-Time LCA (Autodesk)
Server URL: https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp

Save. Skip any “Sign in” button on the connector — auth happens later, on first prompt.

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

Start a chat and ask, for example:

List the Forma proposals in my hub

Claude will surface an APS sign-in link. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Connect the Claude Desktop app. The flow is the same as Claude.ai — done through the in-app Connectors UI, not a config file.

Open the Connectors page

In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.

Add a custom connector

Click the + sign → Add custom connector. Paste the URL:

https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp

Skip any “Sign in” button on the connector — auth happens later, on first prompt, via APS.

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

Ask, for example:

List the Forma proposals in my hub

Claude will surface an APS sign-in link in the response. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Install Claude Code

Skip if already installed.

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Add the realtimelca-autodesk MCP server

claude mcp add realtimelca-autodesk \
  --transport http \
  https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp

Verify the connection

claude mcp list

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

Start a session and ask, for example:

List the Forma proposals in my hub and the GWP for each

Claude Code will print an APS sign-in URL. Open it in a browser, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Open Codex

Launch the Codex app.

Open the config file

Settings → Configurations → Open config.toml.

Add the rtlca-autodesk MCP server

Paste the following at the top of config.toml:

[mcp_servers.rtlca-autodesk]
url = "https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp"

Note: don’t click Authenticate under Settings → MCP Servers for this connection — auth runs through APS on first prompt instead.

Restart Codex

Quit Codex completely, then start it again.

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

Which Forma proposals are in my hub?

Codex will surface an APS sign-in link in the reply. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Open Cursor's MCP settings

In Cursor, go to Settings → Tools & MCP and select New MCP Server. mcp.json opens for editing.

Add the realtimelca-autodesk MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "realtimelca-autodesk": {
      "url": "https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Save the file.

Click Connect to authenticate

Cursor lists the server as Needs authentication. Click the Connect button — your browser opens to the Real-Time LCA sign-in page. Sign in; the token returns to Cursor automatically.

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

Open a new chat and ask:

List the Forma proposals in my hub

For Forma- and Revit-scoped calls, Cursor will surface a second link in the reply — the APS sign-in. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Open ChatGPT settings

Settings → Connectors. On Plus, first enable Developer Mode under Settings → Connectors → Advanced.

Add a custom MCP connector

Create / Add custom connector → MCP server. Fill in:

Name: Real-Time LCA (Autodesk)
Server URL: https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp

Save. Don’t click “Sign in” on the connector — that path is for the standard RTLCA auth. For this endpoint, auth happens on first prompt via APS.

Enable the connector

Enable it for the Project or chat where you want to use it.

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

Start a chat with the connector enabled and ask:

List the Forma proposals in my hub

ChatGPT will surface an APS sign-in link in the reply. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

ChatGPT’s connector UI evolves frequently. If labels differ, follow OpenAI’s Custom Connectors documentation — the server URL stays the same.

Create the connector in AI Studio, then attach it to any chat in Le Chat.

Open AI Studio Connectors

In AI Studio, go to Connectors → Add Connector.

Fill in the connector

Name: any (e.g. Real-Time LCA (Autodesk))
Server URL: https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp
Workspace: Private

Click Create.

Creating the connector opens a browser window to the Real-Time LCA sign-in page. Sign in; once successful you’re redirected back to AI Studio.

Use the connector in Le Chat and follow the APS link

Start a new chat in Le Chat. Click the + symbol, open the Connectors tab, and select the connector. Then prompt:

List the Forma proposals in my hub

For Forma- and Revit-scoped calls, Le Chat will surface a second link in the reply — the APS sign-in. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Install LM Studio

Download from lmstudio.ai and launch it.

Load a tool-capable local model

Discover tab → download a tool-capable model (Llama 3.1, Qwen 2.5, Mistral, etc.) → load it from the Chat tab’s model selector.

Add the Autodesk MCP server

In the Program / MCP panel, edit mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rtlca-autodesk": {
      "url": "https://mcp.realtimelca.com/autodesk/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Save.

Click Authenticate in LM Studio

Once the server is in mcp.json, LM Studio shows an Authenticate button on the rtlca-autodesk entry. Click it — your default browser opens to the Real-Time LCA sign-in page. Sign in with your RTLCA credentials; LM Studio receives the token automatically.

Send a prompt and follow the APS link

With your model loaded, ask:

List the Forma proposals in my hub

For Forma- and Revit-scoped calls, LM Studio will surface a second link in the reply — the APS sign-in. Click it, sign in with your Autodesk account, then resend the prompt.

Tool-calling quality varies between local models. If the model ignores tools or hallucinates arguments, try a larger or function-calling-tuned variant.

​Prerequisites (all clients)

​How authentication works

Prerequisites (all clients)

How authentication works