How Burns & McDonnell Built a Shared Foundation Across Teams

In architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), parcel data supports every step of a project—from planning and permitting to field execution. But when that data is inconsistent or hard to access, it quickly impacts timelines, budgets, and communication.

At Burns & McDonnell, a global engineering, architecture, and construction firm, the team wanted to address fragmented parcel data to deliver faster projects. Their solution: move from project-by-project sourcing to a shared, standardized data layer.

Enter Regrid.

The need for standardization

Before using Regrid’s standardized parcel data, teams at Burns & McDonnell pulled parcel data from different sources. Because Burns & McDonnell serves a vast array of industries and clients, teams had developed their own methods and lacked an enterprise standard format.

Teams were very focused on providing deliverables for their projects, and there was not a simplified way to share data across those projects.

“We needed one dataset everyone could use”

To understand how to best serve the needs of the diverse and complex industries the company serves, Michael Allen’s team convened 42 parcel data users across 10 business units. The takeaway was clear: though the projects varied, the data needs were largely the same.

"What we discovered is—it’s not really that different,” said Allen. “If one group can use one dataset and pass that work along through the project lifecycle, it saves everybody time and leads to a better result."

The team began evaluating providers, weighing data coverage, access methods, update frequency, and compliance. After piloting multiple vendors, Regrid emerged as the right fit—providing nationwide coverage, an accessible API, and a data model that could flex across teams.

Now? Standardized parcel data, embedded in the workflow

Today, Burns & McDonnell has embedded Regrid data across the full AEC lifecycle — from early site selection to field execution.

By taking a strategic approach to parcel data, they’ve built a system that works across disciplines, business units, and project types. Teams are no longer burdened with sourcing or cleaning inconsistent files. Instead, they start with a shared foundation and focus on high-value work.

That consistency has become a force multiplier. Environmental teams can pass insights directly to permitting. Field crews can avoid delays and access constraints. And proposals land faster — with clearer data behind them.

This new framework empowers Burns & McDonnell to treat parcel data as a shared infrastructure instead of a one-off need. Something every project can build from.

Here’s how parcel data now supports each phase of the project lifecycle at Burns & McDonnell:

This led to a more connected, efficient project delivery process

By centralizing parcel access with Regrid, Burns & McDonnell now start with ready-to-use information, speeding up proposals and making it easier to compare options, such as routing alternatives based on land ownership or value.

“With the Regrid parcel dataset, we're empowered to provide the location intelligence our clients need. They can buy data anywhere, but we add context, insight and support to help them make better decisions.

With Regrid’s consistent schema and API in place, what started as isolated workarounds have become repeatable tools. Teams across the company are automating common tasks, building shared workflows, and adapting each other’s work, leading to increased innovation and efficiency.

“Instead of focusing on what data we can get, we're focused on what we can do with the data to drive project goals, timelines and business decisions.”

 

“Now that we have a standard schema,” Allen added, “we’re seeing what used to be project solutions become enterprise solutions—shared across teams, automated, and reused.”

Learn more about Regrid Premium Parcel Data and how it can work for your organization at regrid.com/enterprise