Innovations from the nation’s largest construction firms

Of the 125+ contractors and construction management firms that participated in BD+C’s 2025 Giants 400 survey, 103 firms provided details on their top innovations, technology enhancements, and market moves from the past 12 months. Here’s a roundup of the most compelling updates from the 2025 Contractor Giants (in alpha order):

Accenture’s EV Charging Station Layout Optimization tool is a cloud-based solution designed to accelerate the expansion of new EV charging infrastructure. It utilizes satellite mapping to identify and analyze proposed stations, which allows the end user to propose charging point zones, utility locations, and non-construction areas. A spatial engine optimizes the layout of the charging point types within the allowed locations, accounting for collisions and physical constraints.

Alston Construction unveiled its Mental Health Jobsite Campaign in 2024. The program provides more than 50 on-site resources and training items, including toolbox talks, peer support tools, and signage to address mental health issues in construction. The firm also launched a Mission Critical team led by Senior VP Kevin Connor to support data center, utility, and 24/7 infrastructure projects. 

ANDRES Construction Services implemented the workforce management tool Genda, which provides instant data flow from the field to the office, including real time metrics on worker utilization by floor in order to identify schedule bottlenecks.

Barton Malow Holdings is focused on addressing the labor shortage and enhancing operational efficiency using robotics and AI software. The firm deployed FirmusAI to provide automated health and constructability checks on drawing sets; Sunflower Labs’s autonomous security drone for enhanced security and automated progress documentation; and a Unitree quadrupedal robot to help automate photo capture of project sites.

Benchmark Construction has partnered with Truman Counseling Services to provide 100%-company-paid counseling services to its employees, spouses, and dependents up to age 26. These services are unlimited and confidential, with sessions available in person or virtually. They cover a wide range of topics, including stress management, addiction, ADD/ADHD, family and marriage, depression, anger management, and mental health concerns. The firm said usage rates have increased month after month since the program’s launch last October. To date, the program has seen 625 sessions in all (69% employee usage, 31% dependent usage; 65% usage by office staff, 35% usage by field staff).

The Bette Companies’ energy services division, BC Energy (formerly Cogen Power Technologies), has expanded its services beyond cogeneration-only projects to include critical infrastructure, decarbonization technologies, on-site power, and utility infrastructure services.

The Boldt Company established its modular/prefab business as a stand-alone entity called Bildt. The group makes permanent modular buildings and slide-in room and bathroom pods for building types that include healthcare, industrial, education, and commercial. It also prefabricates panels and components that include headwalls, exterior panels and systems, steel wall studs, and customizable interior framing assemblies.

Bozzuto Construction partnered with Blueprint Robotics on a prefab Passive House project in Baltimore, Md. The company’s “Blueprint Method” utilizes BIM technology to virtually construct projects and resolve coordination issues before construction begins. The firm then produces precision, wood-framed panels using CNC machinery and delivers a complete framing package to the site. “This process accelerated the schedule, minimized waste, and supported the rigorous detailing required for Passive House certification,” according to Bozzuto.

Clune Construction nearly doubled the size of its national safety team, appointed regional safety directors, and began piloting an automated lockout tagout (LOTO) program using mobile software and QR codes.

DPR Construction developed a mass-timber-based data center solution aimed at lowering both the upfront carbon footprint and operating cost of projects. The design utilizes mass timber products to construct “hot aisle” containment (the structures housing servers) in lieu of steel. It also features a custom connecting element for the structural parts. Both designs are patent pending, according to DPR. The prototype is being tested in Sacramento, Calif., with partners like UL to draft standards for use. DPR’s model shows 42% carbon savings vs. steel, along with less leakage and better thermal performance than traditional steel systems, which points to lower operating costs.

EBCO General Contractor established a partnership with Dale Carnegie to provide leadership training to its employees.

Fortis Construction is leveraging robotics to streamline and automate the layout process on construction sites. The technology digitally transfers building plans onto the jobsite with millimeter-level accuracy. The robot autonomously moves across the slab, printing layout marks directly from models, ensuring that every wall, pipe, and fixture location is correctly positioned.

Gilbane Building Company has expanded its public-private partnership (P3) portfolio by capitalizing on synergies with Gilbane Building and Gilbane Development. Key project milestones over the last 12 months include student housing developments for Eastern Michigan University and the University of Rhode Island; transit-oriented projects like Amtrak’s William H. Gray III 30th Street Station Project in Philadelphia; and health sciences facilities such as the new School of Medicine at USC Health Sciences Campus in Columbia, S.C.

HITT Contracting’s R&D team is studying the reliability of robotic solutions, such as Spot from Boston Dynamics, in performing tasks like remote telepresence, reality capture, and safety inspections to ensure they become trusted and effective tools.

JLL’s new AI platform, JLL Falcon, is designed to accelerate the digital transformation of the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. The tool combines JLL’s proprietary data with generative AI models to deliver timely, revenue-generating and cost-saving insights, as well as maximize returns. JLL Falcon will power a wide range of CRE applications, including custom assistants.

Joeris General Contractors formed Leo J Indemnity, a wholly owned captive insurance company, to help enhance the firm’s ability to manage risk exposure, stabilize insurance costs, and reinforce the long-term security of the business.

Mortenson began work on the expansion of its R&D facility in Minneapolis. The new facility, called BLUlabs, offers 40,000 sf of industrial space--more than double the size of the previous lab. It includes configurable bays for team projects, advanced 3D printers, a CNC machine, plasma table, and tools and materials for various trades such as carpentry, concrete, welding, and electrical.

Pogue Construction developed an internal estimating dashboard that consolidates and visualizes critical data related to subcontractor performance, workload, and prequalification status. “This tool has dramatically improved our internal decision-making and helped us avoid awarding contracts to overextended partners,” said the company.

Robins & Morton has expanded its in-house expertise in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. “In healthcare, our primary sector, MEP scope averages 40% to 45% of construction cost, and increasing our expertise ensures teamwork, accountability, and our clients benefit from the best available resources,” said the firm. Company innovations in 2024 include a safety vest with a hydration pack, a temporary bathroom design, engraved electrical plates, a toilet lock, and reusable plaster ring covers--all developed and prototyped through Robins & Morton’s innovation program.

Rodgers Builders adopted Microsoft Power BI and other analytics platforms to unify data across preconstruction, field operations, safety, and finance. These tools replace static reports with dynamic dashboards that help teams monitor real-time performance metrics—from labor hours and safety trends to schedule progress and financial health. “The implementation of Power BI has improved project forecasting and accountability by allowing teams to identify trends, respond to risks faster, and make informed decisions without delays,” said the company.

Skanska signed an MSA with Nextera Robotics and is using its DIDGE platform and autonomous robot on select projects for visual documentation and reporting on project progress, safety, and quality. This AI-powered robot can recognize hundreds of construction materials (air ducts, sprinklers, etc.) and precisely track progress. It can also detect safety violations like unsafe PPE and missing guardrails.

STO Building Group partnered with Otto Tech Systems to develop and pilot the SmartLadder, a modified A-frame ladder that combines real-time audible alerts with onboard data analytics. Sensors detect movement and weight distribution, sounding a warning tone when users approach a tip-over point, exceed weight limits, walk or hop the ladder, or engage in behavior not in compliance with training. The wireless- and Bluetooth-enabled ladder continuously captures data and uploads it into a cloud data management system for analysis. The system sends SMS alerts to supervisors in cases of severe unsafe behavior. “Our teams saw a 20-60% reduction in specific undesired behaviors with ladders so the data is promising,” said the firm.

Suffolk’s Live Dimensions platform is a BIM-integrated system that streamlines the tracking of structural steel from design through fabrication and erection. Previously, tracking steel was a fragmented process often reliant on Excel spreadsheets and inconsistent reporting across stakeholders. Live Dimensions, developed in-house as a standalone, Web-based application, uses AI to standardize data, sync with BIM models, and update steel erection progress in real time. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, project teams can scan delivery documentation, track steel components, and immediately visualize their status within the model.

Swinerton celebrated the grand opening of Timberlab’s second mass timber fabrication facility, located in Greenville, S.C. The facility is the largest of only three hubs of its kind in the region, opening up opportunities for clients on the East Coast to build with engineered wood materials. It is strategically located near a Southern yellow pine timber basket. The company also announced plans to construct and operate a cross-laminated timber (CLT) manufacturing facility in Oregon, and the acquisition of American Laminators, an Oregon-based glued laminated timber manufacturer.

Turner Construction launched Turner Ventures, a venture capital program created to accelerate innovation across the built environment. Turner Ventures focuses on early-stage companies developing solutions that align with Turner’s goals: improving safety, enhancing sustainability, increasing efficiency, and creating greater value for clients. Early investments in areas like robotics, digital twins, and AI-powered safety monitoring are already yielding positive results, according to the company.

Turner also launched xPL Offsite, a company focused on leveraging Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) and offsite manufacturing to accelerate construction delivery. With a 200,000-sf manufacturing facility in Decatur, Ala., and a team of more than 100 dedicated specialists, xPL Offsite delivers modular, prefabricated, and integrated multi-trade assemblies at scale.

W. M. Jordan Company holds annual Superintendent Retreats. These events, held over two days, are taught by seasoned field supervisors and provide all field staff an opportunity to gather with other field supervisors in their region to discuss common experiences, challenges, and best practices. Topics include safety, modern construction methods, and education about contractual concerns.

The Weitz Company leverages RodRadar on jobsites to enhance safety. The technology uses ground penetrating radar with real-time processing capabilities to detect and visualize underground utilities. The company also uses Mindforge and Pillar Smart Sensor on jobsites as safety measures.

Wohlsen Construction launched a cross-functional AI Task Force to guide how artificial intelligence is evaluated, implemented, and governed across the organization. A key area of impact has been in preconstruction, where AI is being used to analyze historical cost data, streamline scope development, and support earlier, more accurate budgeting.