  Tight-binding models provide a conceptually transparent and computationally
efficient method to represent the electronic properties of materials. With
AFLOW$\pi$ we introduce a framework for high-throughput first principles
calculations that automatically generates tight-binding hamiltonians without
any additional input. Several additional features are included in AFLOW$\pi$
with the intent to simplify the self-consistent calculation of Hubbard U
corrections, the calculations of phonon dispersions, elastic properties,
complex dielectric constants, and electronic transport coefficients. As
examples we show how to compute the optical properties of layered nitrides in
the $AM$N$_2$ family, and the elastic and vibrational properties of binary
halides with CsCl and NaCl structure.
