Solar development is advancing, but the faster projects move, the harder it becomes to balance speed with site-specific design. Every solar site comes with unique conditions, including varied terrain, interconnection points, regulatory considerations and grid requirements, while project schedules continue to shorten. The question is how to deliver high-quality, tailored solar solutions at the pace the market demands.
We spoke with David Koper, digital delivery lead for renewables at Burns & McDonnell, about how automation, structured data and a culture of continuous improvement are reshaping solar design and construction, and what this means for the industry’s future.
A: The main challenge is that solar projects today involve multiple layers of complexity, and that complexity often conflicts with the industry’s need for faster delivery.
We are no longer working only on flat, open land. Projects are now larger and more dispersed, often built on sites with varied topography and environmental conditions. Each site faces unique challenges to accommodate electrical systems that can support potential future battery energy storage systems (BESS) and comply with evolving grid interconnection requirements.
Additionally, construction management has become data-driven. Tracking and coordinating millions of components across extensive project areas requires real-time visibility and detailed information flow.
All these factors increase technical and logistical complexity while schedules continue to tighten. This is where digital tools and automation are making a difference. They allow us to manage that complexity, delivering reliable, customized designs at the pace required by developers and utilities.
A: Automation has transformed how we approach design. One clear example is automated grading. A process that once required up to two weeks of manual work now takes about four hours through a digital workflow developed by our team.
This change is more than a time savings. It changes how engineers think about design. Teams can now create and refine layouts in near real time, producing more accurate proposals and spending their effort on problem-solving, optimization and coordination rather than repetition.
Proposal turnaround times have been reduced by up to 75%, and the time savings extend through detailed design and construction. For our clients, this means greater cost control, faster project execution and fewer unexpected issues in the field. In an environment where schedule certainty matters as much as price, this type of efficiency provides real value.
A: The value of automation is that it can be scaled. Once a digital process works successfully, it can be applied across multiple disciplines such as civil, electrical and structural engineering, and then extended to new project types like energy storage.
It also changes how teams view technology. Automation supports digital delivery and helps engineers use technology to improve design quality. It does not replace sound engineering judgment. Instead, it provides better tools and more consistent information for decision-making.
Across the industry, these combined improvements can help project owners close the gap between renewable energy goals and the real-world pace of design and construction. When automation becomes part of normal practice, projects advance more efficiently from concept through commissioning.
A: Structured and organized data forms the foundation for all digital processes. It turns automation from a set of isolated tools into an integrated system that connects design, procurement and construction.
High-quality data is especially valuable as the industry adopts artificial intelligence (AI). AI tools are only effective when they leverage accurate and standardized inputs. When each stage of a project follows the same data structure, we can achieve what we call bankable by design.
This approach allows every design decision, material quantity and as-built record to be traceable and comparable. It gives owners confidence that designs are efficient, compliant and ready for long-term operation. Without dependable, structured data, even advanced automation can deliver inconsistent results. A connected data environment is what makes digital delivery reliable and scalable.
A: The same digital foundation that supports design also improves construction. The key is to make the model a working database rather than a static drawing.
Each component in the model is built with accurate location data, unique identifiers and supporting details such as part numbers and installation sequences. When field teams use that model, they have direct access to the most current information rather than relying on printed drawings.
This approach allows quantities to stabilize earlier, supports better planning and links quality control directly to the model. When field crews identify a variance, it can be recorded, mapped and updated within the model immediately.
The result is clear. Fewer change cycles, reduced rework and better alignment between design intent and construction activities. For owners, this leads to more predictable schedules, improved cost control and smoother transitions from construction to operation.
A: The future lies in combining data, automation and human judgment into a single, connected process. The next generation of solar projects will operate with a continuous flow of information between the office and the field. Every decision will be supported by structured data and every team will work from a single, shared source of information.
This is where an integrated EPC (engineer-procure-construct) approach becomes a real advantage. When design, procurement and construction systems communicate through the same digital framework, work becomes synchronized rather than sequential. That feedback loop reduces field hours, limits rework and increases reliability.
The goal is not only faster design but also smarter design that improves constructable outcomes and long-term performance. It is about creating solar projects that are efficient, financially sound and delivered with consistency.
The next phase of solar growth will not be measured by how many megawatts are built but by how intelligently projects are delivered. Companies that integrate automation, data and disciplined design processes will be the ones driving that change.