Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment evaluates the environmental condition of a property to identify potential or existing recognized environmental conditions that may affect value, financing, or liability.

Phase I ESAs are commonly required during commercial real estate transactions and refinancing to support lender underwriting and informed decision-making.

Our Phase I ESAs are conducted in compliance with current ASTM standards and meet EPA All Appropriate Inquiries requirements under CERCLA. Assessments are performed and signed by a qualified Environmental Professional and structured to align with lender, legal, and institutional review expectations.

Reports are prepared with transaction timelines in mind and presented in a format suitable for lender underwriting, legal review, and internal risk management processes.

Scope of Services

Each Phase I ESA includes a structured review process designed to evaluate current and historical environmental risk factors.

• Review of federal, state, tribal, and local environmental regulatory records
• Historical research using standard sources such as aerial imagery, fire insurance maps, city directories, and topographic records
• Site reconnaissance and visual inspection of current property conditions
• Interviews with owners, occupants, and local officials when appropriate
• Evaluation of adjacent properties and surrounding land use
• Identification of recognized environmental conditions, controlled RECs, and historical RECs
• Clear findings and recommendations, including whether additional investigation may be warranted

Who Typically Requires a Phase I ESA

Phase I Environmental Site Assessments are most commonly required in lender-driven or institutional real estate transactions.

• Commercial lenders and private financing institutions
• Developers and redevelopment teams
• Corporate real estate and facilities groups
• REITs and multi-site portfolio owners
• Municipal and public-sector entities
• Buyers and sellers involved in commercial property transactions

Common Applications

Phase I ESAs are used to evaluate environmental risk prior to financial or ownership transfer decisions.

• Property acquisition and refinancing
• Evaluation of former industrial or commercial sites
• Portfolio-level environmental due diligence
• Pre-development and redevelopment planning
• Determining whether a Phase II ESA is appropriate

If additional investigation is recommended, next steps can be coordinated to maintain schedule alignment and support transaction decision-making.