Supporting a Sustainable Future
Being resourceful stewards of our environment is a responsibility we take seriously with every project pursued. We understand the importance of our clients' environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and work to develop future-focused solutions across all industries, including oil and gas facilities, local governments and manufacturers, and transportation and utilities. We are proud to serve as a trusted partner for those striving toward sustainable initiatives.
With every project we plan, design, build and manage, we embrace opportunities to address our clients' biggest challenges with innovative, sustainable solutions.
2023 Corporate Sustainability Report
Learn more in our latest Corporate Sustainability Report, issued annually.
Sustainability at Burns & McDonnell
Learn more about our corporate sustainability efforts.
LOAD MORE
Greenhouse Gas and Air Emissions
Future-focused solutions are a top priority for our firm. With this forward-thinking approach in mind, our team conducts greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria pollutant emissions accounting and prepares reduction strategies. By providing reports for industry compliance and sustainability frameworks, we help to evaluate Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions to mitigate negative environmental impacts. Our team can help you tackle the challenges with permitting, emissions control and regulatory evaluations, modeling for impacts to sensitive populations and environmental justice analyses, and predictions of emissions for offsets as part of net zero plans.
Case Study
Opening the Door to Sustainability
Burns & McDonnell
For TruStile Doors, finding a more beneficial use for more than 7,200 tons of sawdust byproduct created each year through manufacturing meant integrating a solution into design of its new facility — effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 37,000 tons per year.
Blog
Minimizing Air Emissions for Chemicals, Oil and Gas Projects
Burns & McDonnell
Innovating to minimize air pollutant emissions allows chemicals, oil and gas sector firms to continue growing and still meet sustainability objectives.
Blog
Decarbonizing the Mining Industry
Burns & McDonnell
Leaders in the mining industry are integrating renewable energy options to cut costs, meet decarbonization goals and minimize pressure on the grid.
LOAD MORE
Sustainable Siting and Development
The world of environmental compliance can be difficult to navigate. We can provide you studies and documentation to achieve project approvals through the realm of federal, state, local and utility commission regulations. Environmental impact statements, environmental assessments and route selection studies are often the first step toward project construction, and we assist in selection and development of sites that minimize environmental impacts and create opportunities for sustainable operations. With experience ranging from renewable siting projects to battery storage, we have the background to help you achieve your site goals.
Blog
Streamlining the Permitting Process: Integrated EPC for Renewable Projects
Burns & McDonnell
An integrated engineer-procure-construct (EPC) team provides the varied professional experience needed for long-term planning of utility-scale renewables.
News
Burns & McDonnell Breaks Ground on First-Ever Community Solar Program in Southwest Missouri
Burns & McDonnell
As part of its growing solar power generation design and construction services portfolio, Burns & McDonnell has broken ground on Liberty Utilities-Empire District’s Prosperity Community Solar installation — the first such renewable generation program in southwest Missouri.
Blog
The Changing Landscape of Solar Siting and Permitting
Burns & McDonnell
New technology and policies are changing the scenery of solar farms, but the changes in landscapes can bring additional siting challenges.
LOAD MORE
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Planning
You want to achieve your environmental, social and governance planning goals and we want to help you get there. Our team can help you identify, prioritize and implement sustainability initiatives, including goal setting and tracking. We’re ready to address any challenges related to sustainability orientation and workforce education; current and future state analyses; gap analyses; reporting framework selection; environmental performance improvement strategies; and project development for carbon reduction and credits.
Blog
Meeting a New Benchmark: Environmental, Social and Governance Standards
Burns & McDonnell
Various industries are altering how to direct capital dollars to meet environmental, social and governance standards.
White Paper
Building Sustainable, Resilient and Greener Cities
Burns & McDonnell
The world’s population is growing, and drastic climate changes are happening in urban and rural areas alike. To safeguard the environment and provide better living conditions, municipalities and organizations should explore green infrastructure solutions.
Blog
Five Key Questions to Kick-Start Sustainability Strategies
Burns & McDonnell
Sustainability is an increasingly key feature of business, projects and supply chains. Here are five questions substation engineers should be asking.
LOAD MORE
Materials Management
From sorting materials to designing recycling programs, developing a zero-waste plan can be a challenge. Our team can help community leaders develop solid waste and materials management plans, source recyclable materials and procure materials for recovery services to produce cost-effective solutions.
Blog
Driving Results With Science: Keep America Beautiful Litter Study
Burns & McDonnell
The Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study provides tailored solutions for communities trying to combat the prevalent issue of litter in the U.S.
Blog
Transitioning to Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Policies and Programs
Burns & McDonnell
As resource consumption rises, understand the challenges and benefits of transitioning to sustainable materials management (SMM) policies and procedures.
LOAD MORE
Energy
Keeping communities powered with reliable and efficient services is key to help meet sustainability goals. Serving as a single point of contact for energy diversification and storage projects, our integrated team can serve as your guide for energy diversification opportunities relating to solar, wind, hydro, biomass, biofuels, biochemicals, renewable natural gas, electrification, hydrogen and ammonia. In such emerging markets as transportation electrification, we work with utilities, transit agencies and fleet operators to find realistic, sustainable and actionable solutions based on data.
Article
Accelerating on the Road to Electrification
Burns & McDonnell
The movement to reduce carbon emissions is giving a speed boost to efforts to electrify transportation. Building the appropriate electrical infrastructure to support this dramatic transition will depend on understanding the reality of new operational models.
Blog
Applying Renewable Generation to Oil and Gas Facilities
Burns & McDonnell
Oil and gas companies are considering integration of renewable energy assets, but the challenges of intermittent power sources must be addressed upfront.
Blog
Hydrogen Supports Diversified Energy Asset Portfolios
Burns & McDonnell
Many recognize the value of hydrogen for on-demand generation and long-term storage as renewables continue to gain and dispatchable generation needs grow.
LOAD MORE
Wetland Mitigation and Conservation Banking
Protecting our environment is a crucial foundation for project success. To help mitigate environmental impacts, we help you comply with federal, state and local regulations. Our long-term efforts have included designing, building and monitoring ecological restoration sites, wetland mitigation projects and species-specific conservation initiatives.
Mitigation Banking USA
Conservation banks protect threatened or endangered species habitat or other sensitive resources, while wetland mitigation banks conserve existing, restored, enhanced or established wetland habitats.
LOAD MORE
Public Involvement
Maintaining clear communication is a vital part of successful projects. Public involvement is essential to achieving sustainability goals, whether for a first ESG report or a strategic plan in place for decades to come. We help engage stakeholders early through multiple channels, including public outreach, community engagement, change management, media relations and strategic communications. Our Prosci-certified change management professionals offer expertise essential to successful ESG implementation.
Blog
Stakeholder Management: Unlock Renewable Generation Potential
Burns & McDonnell
Developers focus on collaboration with groups of stakeholders to be impacted by the transition to renewable generation and battery storage facilities.
Blog
Enabling Peer-to-Peer Connection to Solve Public Involvement Challenges
Burns & McDonnell
Public involvement practices must change in a new normal. Utilities from across the country discussed best practices and ways to facilitate new approaches.
Podcast
Metrics of Change - Measure What Matters With Dana Houston Jackson
Are the metrics of change management the metrics of the change itself? Why can folks have an adverse reaction to being individually measured? Dana will provide the 4-step process to reveal useful and meaningful measures for both change and change management.
LOAD MORE
Climate Resiliency
With ever-changing weather patterns, it’s important to prepare clients for the worst, while hoping for the best. We help clients plan for climate change and clean up after natural disasters. Our projects incorporate climate resilience by accounting for: forecasting flood plain and sea level changes; meteorology and modeling; land, forestry management and master planning; water availability studies and reuse evaluations; groundwater modeling and restoration; and vegetation replanting.
Blog
Built to Last: Resilient Design Keeps the Community in Mind
Burns & McDonnell
Communities are addressing rising sea levels and evolving rainfall patterns through resilient system designs that adapt, endure and create lasting benefits.
Blog
Sustainable Practices Can Create Disaster Resilience
Burns & McDonnell
Sustainable infrastructure practices make cities and government more resilient. Disaster preparedness must consider resiliency and sustainability.
Blog
Engineering Port and Maritime Facility Resiliency to Weather the Storm
Burns & McDonnell
The design of ports and maritime facilities must accommodate the growing intensity and frequency of extreme weather that could wreak havoc on infrastructure.
LOAD MORE
Water Resources
To maintain the highest water quality standards for our communities, we are involved with every aspect of the water industry from stormwater management to sustainable treatment solutions. Creating a safe and reliable supply that people can depend on is a standard our firm holds in the highest regard. Our experience in engineering and environmental compliance has led us to design, construct and innovate on behalf of our clients. Our sustainable water project experience includes wetland restoration, water and wastewater program management, green stormwater infrastructure and industrial and municipal water recycling and reuse facilities."
Project
Target Green East Marlborough Green Infrastructure Improvements
Burns & McDonnell
We provided design services for phases two and three of the Target Green Marlborough East-Middle Blue River Basin Green Infrastructure & Distributed Storage Improvements for the City of Kansas City, Missouri Water Services Department.
Blog
Four Factors Impacting Water Management in Industrial Operations
Burns & McDonnell
When trying to boost water efficiency, industrial water users should consider regulatory compliance, aging infrastructure, economic growth and ESG factors.
Project
Kansas City Smart Sewer Program
Burns & McDonnell
Since 2011, Burns & McDonnell has served as program manager for the largest capital program in the history of the Kansas City region — the $4.5 billion Smart Sewer program, formerly known as the Overflow Control Program (OCP).
LOAD MORE
Remediation
To make judicious use of limited resources, our work routinely includes optimizing the environmental impact of remediation programs using best management practices. Taking a holistic approach means considering sustainability early. From site investigation through remedy selections, and from construction and operation treatment systems through closeout, we take a step back to look at the whole picture not just on the challenge in front of us.
Blog
Why Sustainable Remediation Is Critical to Your ESG Approach
Burns & McDonnell
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics are standard requirements that drive investment criteria. Sustainable remediation offers many benefits.
Project Profile
Lake Filled With Coal Ash Takes on New Life
Burns & McDonnell
The City of Columbia, Missouri, is transforming a coal ash impoundment into a freshwater lake and centerpiece of a public park. Through closure and restoration efforts, the city has proactively managed coal combustion residuals, met environmental regulations and demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental stewardship.
Article
Solid as a Rock: Streamlined Permitting Efforts Are Crucial for Carbon Storage Success
Burns & McDonnell
Carbon capture, utilization and storage show strong potential to help reduce carbon emissions globally. Successful deployment of one of the newest tools in the net zero emissions toolbox — carbon capture and storage — will depend on understanding a complex permitting process and aligning efforts to speed approvals.
LOAD MORE
PROGRESS
Progressive Remediation Strategies
Improve Site Certainty With Tailored Solutions to Emerging Contaminants
LOAD MORE
Laura Drescher
Department Manager
Environmental Services
✖
SUBSCRIBE
