KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Burns & McDonnell, a 100%employee-owned engineering, architecture, construction and consulting firm, has earned three 2025 Business Achievement Awards: two for Environmental Business Journal (EBJ) and one for Climate Change Business Journal (CCBJ). The honors highlight the firm’s leadership in technology innovation, workforce education and expedited environmental permitting, reinforcing its commitment to advancing responsible and resilient infrastructure solutions.

2025 EBJ Business Achievement Awards

Technology Merit: Innovation and Prototype Center. Burns & McDonnell was honored for its Innovation Center, a purpose-built environment that enables immersive visualization and rapid prototyping to support better project decisions earlier in the project life cycle. The Center features a high-resolution LED CAVE, real-time 3D model interaction, digital twin workflows and rapid 3D printing. These capabilities improve collaboration, reduce design uncertainty, and enhance constructability and safety planning. The facility also support straining, client engagement and recruiting, making it a versatile enterprise asset.

Social Contribution: Workforce Education. The Construction Academy earned recognition for addressing the nationwide shortage of skilled construction craft professionals through accessible, non-degree career pathways. The Academy includes a14,000-square-foot training and assessment hub in Houston and a growing fleet of mobile training units serving communities nationwide. The program strengthens talent pipelines while expanding equitable access to the skilled trades needed to deliver critical infrastructure.

2025 CCBJ Business Achievement Award

Industry Leadership: Expedited Emissions Permitting for Data Centers. This recognition was awarded for advancing environmental compliance strategies across mission-critical and emerging infrastructure. An integrated approach combining air permitting, acoustics, environmental review and community engagement supports rapid data center deployment without compromising environmental stewardship.

“These awards reflect our employee-owners’ commitment to advancing innovative solutions that support our clients, communities and the evolving infrastructure landscape,” says Mark Knaack, vice president and general manager of the Environmental Services Group at Burns & McDonnell. “By investing in technology, people and environmental stewardship, we are helping build a more resilient and sustainable future.”

About Burns & McDonnell

Working from more than 75 offices around the world, Burns & McDonnell designs and builds critical infrastructure. Our family of companies — driven by engineers, construction professionals, architects, planners, technologists and scientists — delivers projects grounded in safety and a desire to make a difference as we make our clients successful. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn more.