KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Burns & McDonnell and Gritt have entered into a strategic partnership focused on evaluating and deploying AI-powered robotics technology on utility-scale solar projects. The technology will help improve safety, enhance project predictability and support construction teams as demand for new energy infrastructure continues to grow.

Gritt combines AI and robotics to automate labor-intensive tasks on construction sites. The company builds intelligent systems that can be attached to standard construction equipment, which can then autonomously handle tasks like placing and assembling solar arrays, pouring concrete, and laying rebar.

The partnership brings together the integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) capabilities of Burns & McDonnell with Gritt’s AI-powered software and robotics platform to create new opportunities and address labor challenges, improve efficiency, and advance innovation in solar construction.

Over the past year, Burns & McDonnell and Gritt have collaborated to evaluate robotic solar installation technologies in real-world construction environments. The companies have tested Gritt’s technology at multiple utility-scale solar sites.  

“Solar construction is very repetitive work, lifting 80-pound modules day after day,” says Adam Bernardi, renewables business line director at Burns & McDonnell. “As solar installations continue to grow in scale, we have an opportunity to leverage technology in ways that help our teams work safer, faster and smarter. By helping crews handle some of the most repetitive and physically demanding tasks, Gritt offers a solution that can improve safety while helping us deliver projects more predictably.”

Unlike robotics solutions designed for controlled factory environments, Gritt’s technology is built specifically for outdoor construction sites, where terrain, weather and site conditions can vary significantly. The company’s AI-powered systems are designed to assist crews with repetitive installation activities while continuously learning from field operations.

“We’re always looking for solutions that work in the real world,” Bernardi says. “What stood out about Gritt wasn’t just the robotics. It was the intelligence behind it. Their ability to leverage equipment already familiar to construction teams — while continuously learning from field conditions — creates a solution that’s practical, scalable and designed for the realities of utility-scale construction. That’s what made this such a natural fit for us.”

The companies share a common perspective on the role of technology in construction. Robotics and AI are treated as tools that support and empower construction professionals, helping reduce exposure to repetitive and physically demanding tasks while enabling teams to focus on higher-value work.

“Construction has always been powered by skilled craft, and that isn’t changing,” says Jami Stone, a construction project manager at Burns & McDonnell. “There will always be a human element to robotics. Learning how to operate, manage and work alongside these technologies helps expand construction professionals’ toolkit.”

Like any AI-powered technology, construction robotics becomes more capable through experience. Every deployment provides opportunities to better understand changing weather conditions, site logistics, terrain challenges and construction workflows. That continuous learning process is what will help physical AI evolve from a promising technology into a practical tool capable of supporting large-scale infrastructure projects.

“Construction sites are classrooms for physical AI,” Stone says. “The more exposure these systems have to real-world field conditions, the more effectively they can support the people responsible for building these projects.”

“The future of construction won’t be humans or robots; it will be humans and robots working together,” says Puneet Puri, CEO and co-founder of Gritt. “Our mission is to help civilization build infrastructure faster. Working alongside leading EPC firms like Burns & McDonnell allows us to deploy our technology in real project environments, learn from experienced builders and continuously improve the intelligence behind our systems. Together, we’re creating tools that can help the industry meet growing infrastructure demands while supporting the workforce that makes it all possible.”

“We’re building our intelligence to integrate seamlessly into construction workflows that are already familiar to crews,” says Vishal Dugar, co-founder and CTO at Gritt. “Along with our emphasis on cutting-edge AI powering off-the-shelf equipment, this approach allows us to deploy and scale rapidly without requiring disruptive process changes. Partnering with firms like Burns & McDonnell helps us refine how we introduce new technology to the field.”

Burns & McDonnell believes the strategic partnership has the potential to support innovation across the broader infrastructure market as AI and robotics technologies are increasingly adopted.

“What excites us about Gritt is their focus on applying AI and robotics to real-world construction challenges,” says Chad Cotter, vice president of construction at Burns & McDonnell. “While we’re currently deploying the technology in solar construction, the broader opportunity spans the full spectrum of critical infrastructure. We believe this partnership positions us to help shape the future of project delivery while continuing to improve safety, productivity and certainty for our clients.”

As demand for new energy infrastructure accelerates, the companies see this partnership as an early step toward a broader shift in how utility-scale solar gets built.

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.

About Gritt

Gritt is an intelligent system that combines robotics and AI to build the infrastructure that pulls society forward. Gritt deploys via simple attachments to common equipment found on construction sites and performs labor-intensive tasks, verification, and planning. Gritt systems are already building critical infrastructure in the harshest outdoor environments, starting with large-scale solar. The founding team includes experts in robotics and AI from Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, and MIT. Gritt is backed by Obvious Ventures, Union Square Ventures, First Round Capital, Climactic, Congruent Ventures, and other leading firms. Learn more at gritt.ai.