diff --git a/scripts/configure.ac b/scripts/configure.ac
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..52e74d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/configure.ac
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+AC_INIT([open_pdks], [1.0], [github.com/RTimothyEdwards/open_pdks])
+
+# detect PDKs based on directories that include Makefile.in files
+m4_define([M4_GET_TECHS], [m4_normalize(m4_esyscmd(cd .. && find * -mindepth 1 -name "Makefile.in" -exec dirname {} \; | tr "\n" " "))])
+
+AC_DEFUN([M4_GEN_WITH_PDK_SOURCE_ARGS],
+[
+    # --with-pdk-source=PDK_SOURCE_PATH
+    m4_foreach_w(pdk, $1, [
+        AC_MSG_NOTICE([Checking whether 'pdk' is specified])
+        AC_ARG_WITH(pdk-source,
+              [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-pdk-source=/path/to/pdk/source], "location of the source files for pdk")],
+              [
+               pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH=$with_[]pdk[]_source
+               AC_MSG_NOTICE([Checking specified path for 'pdk' at $[]pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH])
+
+               # force an absolute path
+               # pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH=$(readlink -f $[]pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH)
+
+               # basic check that the PDK exists there (the path must exist in any case)
+               AC_CHECK_FILE($[]pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH,
+                       [
+                        AC_MSG_NOTICE(['pdk' source path found at $[]pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH])
+                       ],
+                       [
+                        AC_MSG_ERROR([Specified path for 'pdk' at $[]pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH not found])
+                       ]
+               )
+              ]
+        )
+        AC_SUBST([]pdk[]_SOURCE_PATH)
+    ])
+])
+
+AC_MSG_NOTICE([Found technology directories: M4_GET_TECHS()])
+
+M4_GEN_WITH_PDK_SOURCE_ARGS(M4_GET_TECHS())
+
+# --with-local-path=LOCAL_PATH
+AC_ARG_WITH(local-path,
+      [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-local-path=/path/to/install/pdks], "location where the PDKs will be installed")],
+      [
+       LOCAL_PATH=$with_local_path
+       AC_MSG_NOTICE([Local installation path set to $LOCAL_PATH])
+      ],
+      [
+       AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-local-path=/path/to/install/pdks is a required argument])
+      ]
+)
+AC_SUBST(LOCAL_PATH)
+
+
+
+# Checking if (some) prerequisites are satisfied
+AM_PATH_PYTHON([3.4])
+AX_PYTHON_MODULE(distutils)
+
+AC_PATH_PROG(MAGIC, magic)
+if test -z "$MAGIC"; then
+   AC_MSG_ERROR([You need 'magic' to generate the needed various cell views])
+fi
+
+
+
+MAKEFILES=$(find .. -name "Makefile.in" | sed 's/\(.*\)\.in/\1/g')
+AC_CONFIG_FILES($MAKEFILES)
+
+AC_OUTPUT
+
+AC_MSG_RESULT(Build configured successfully)