Get energy consumption data for a water heater
AI agents call get_energy_usage to retrieve information from Home Controller without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves energy consumption data—a read-only query with no side effects. It does not create, modify, delete, or execute any actions. The sibling tools (get_activity_log, get_consumption, get_current_schedule, get_device_status, get_devices, get_energy_history, get_energy_sites, get_events) all follow the 'get_' pattern consistent with data retrieval.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_energy_usage' and description 'Get energy consumption data for a water heater' indicate a query operation that retrieves historical or current consumption metrics without modifying any state.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Get energy consumption data for a water heater. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Home Controller MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Home Controller MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_energy_usage: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Home Controller. Nothing to install.
get_energy_usage is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_energy_usage rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_energy_usage. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
get_energy_usage is provided by the Home Controller MCP server (winsthuang/home-controller). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Every MCP server has a record like this.
Type a name, get the same breakdown: verified identity, auth posture, risk grade, capabilities, recommended policy.
Teams ship this data inside their own products. See what a licence covers →