diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a007fea..1a84b1b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 build/*
+customrc
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e69de29..c4306b0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+## Building ##
+
+OpenBMC uses Yocto/Open-Embedded for a build system, which supports an 
+out-of-tree build.  It is recommended that you create an empty directory
+somewhere to hold the build.  This directory will get big.
+
+To start a build:
+
+    cd <builddir>
+    . <repodir>/openbmc-env
+    bitbake obmc-phosphor-image
+
diff --git a/openbmc-env b/openbmc-env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03e8628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openbmc-env
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+if [ -n "$BASH_SOURCE" ]; then
+   OBMCROOT="`dirname $BASH_SOURCE`"
+elif [ -n "$ZSH_NAME" ]; then
+   OBMCROOT="`dirname $0`"
+else
+   OBMCROOT="`pwd`"
+fi
+
+if [ -f $OBMCROOT/customrc ]; then
+    echo "### Sourcing customrc ###"
+    . $OBMCROOT/customrc
+fi
+
+echo "### Initializing OE build env ###"
+. $OBMCROOT/oe-init-build-env
+