Burns & McDonnell Elevates Operational Excellence with Procore

The Challenge

As Burns & McDonnell expanded into a globally recognized integrated EPC/Design-Build firm, delivering projects across a broad range of key industries — from power, oil & gas, and electrical transmission, to advanced manufacturing facilities, infrastructure, aviation and commercial — the company became increasingly complex. The company’s entrepreneurial culture, a hallmark of its success, naturally resulted in multiple key systems across its markets and project teams.

Project information was occasionally in forms that limited visibility, making it less efficient than desired. Burns & McDonnell needed a reliable, portfolio-wide view of performance under a unified solution to streamline operations, focusing on project team experience, and delivering consistently high-quality outcomes — without slowing the momentum that had fueled its growth.

The Solution

To support scalable growth and maintain its reputation for excellence, Burns & McDonnell’s Construction group implemented Procore. With robust tools for change management, collaboration, and real-time project oversight, Procore is helping the firm centralize workflows, increasing efficiency, and enhancing transparency across its portfolio.

By aligning standardized processes with the platform’s capabilities, Burns & McDonnell is streamlining communication between teams, reducing the levelreducing level of effort to have real-time visibility into performance, and leveraging historical data to inform future decisions. Procore quickly became a stimulus for more agile execution, better outcomes, and smarter strategic planning.

The Results

• Data-Driven Decision Making with a unified data structure enabled actionable insights, improving forecast accuracy and portfolio-wide risk reviews.
• Increased Operational Efficiency through standardized processes.
• Enhanced Communication & Collaboration by having a centralized hub for all project data across teams, projects, customers, and contractors.
• Improved User Satisfaction with repeatable processes in place and a single source of truth, end users consistently reported positive experiences.

Scaling Excellence Without Sacrificing Agility

Ranked #8 on the ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms list in 2024, Burns & McDonnell earned a reputation for delivering some of the industry’s most complex and ambitious projects. The firm’s success was built on precision, agility, and an entrepreneurial mindset that encouraged teams to lead with initiative.

As the company’s portfolio grew, so did the operational strain. “We had teams with a lot of autonomy to solve problems and make projects successful,” said Mike Markovetz, a leader in the firm’s construction project management department. “But with scale comes new challenges.”

The increasing scale and cross-market complexities of projects were contributing to heavier lifts on project execution teams to manage. Leaders needed quick visibility into project performance to help identify risks and make timely, informed decisions.

Burns & McDonnell recognized the need for a solution that would more effectively connect its teams, simplify execution, and create a stronger foundation for growth — without compromising the innovative culture at the core of its identity.

Standardized Systems, Streamlined Success

To bring structure to its growth, Burns & McDonnell adopted Procore not just as a software solution, but as part of the framework for lasting transformation. Rather than starting with technology, the firm focused first on re-defining and aligning internal processes—ensuring that the platform would reinforce, not replace, the way teams worked best.

“It always has to start with a process,” said Markovetz. “Without that, you might be simply running faster in the wrong direction.” With Procore’s centralized system in place, Burns & McDonnell brought a new level of consistency, accountability, and efficiency to the projects. 

Subcontractor change management was one of the first areas where the benefits became clear. By moving change events, approvals, and correspondence into one platform, the communication process increased in transparency and strengthened financial controls. It also made project transitions smoother, with all documentation and context available to the next team member stepping in. “Having it all in one place was an absolute win,” Markovetz added. “It made it easier for another person to come in, support, review, or oversee.”

Enhanced Collaboration and Communication

Procore also brought new clarity to how Burns & McDonnell teams worked together. With workflows standardized across projects throughout the enterprise, new team members could more quickly gain understanding of expectations and processes — no matter the project, scope, or team configuration.

“Procore enabled consistency across our processes while allowing teams the flexibility to meet the unique needs of their clients, markets, and delivery models,” said Markovetz. This consistency didn’t limit autonomy — it elevated it. Teams were able to move faster and stay aligned, making collaboration more efficient across job sites, departments, and even regions.

Communication is more easily accessible. Project communication is captured in one place and team members can spend more time making informed decisions and less time gathering the details. Subcontractors can easily initiate change requests, RFIs, or updates directly within Procore, while project managers stay ahead of issues with real-time visibility. “It allowed us to follow through in a practical and effective way,” Markovetz noted.

The result was a smoother, more connected experience for everyone involved, including cClients — helping the firm overcome challenges, accelerate coordination, and consistently deliver on expectations.

Empowering a Data-Driven Organization

Prior to Procore, data was abundant but housed in multiple platforms. Although the firm had invested in tools like Power BI, reporting relied on many inputs, some of them manual, that varied from team to team. “We had a need to become more efficient in collating the data,” said Markovetz.

Procore changed that dynamic. By capturing project information directly at the source and standardizing how it is structured, the platform gives Burns & McDonnell a trustworthy foundation for insights at both the project and portfolio levels. Teams enter data in real time, while leadership can monitor performance trends, identify outliers, and assess risks with confidence.

APIs allowed the company to combine Procore’s data with internal systems, creating powerful dashboards that supported everything from monthly reviews to long-term forecasting. Over time, the firm will be using historical data from Procore to refine estimates and improve planning — adding confidence to Preconstruction activities.

“Having real-time visibility into our data allows us to make smart decisions faster, keep projects moving smoothly with less manual effort, and stay aligned across teams — all within one connected platform,” Markovetz said. The shift from reactive reporting to predictive insight will make a measurable difference in schedule certainty, cost control, and team performance.

A Future Built on Insight and Innovation

Procore enabled Burns & McDonnell to go beyond market-specific improvements and build a foundation for consistent long-term growth across markets. With clear processes, consistent data, and efficient collaboration, the firm turned complexity into clarity and positioned itself to lead with insight.

Now, with these systems in place, the company is investing in even greater possibilities — from predictive analytics to AI-enhanced forecasting. Leadership remains focused on staying ahead of industry trends, investing in tools and technologies that support smarter, more strategic project delivery.

By combining a unified platform with a culture of innovation, Burns & McDonnell continues to redefine what’s possible — not just for its teams, but for the future of construction itself.