How Environmental Site Assessments Work

When renovating an existing building or when building on a previously developed site, environmental site assessments (ESAs) are the first step toward identifying and remediating hazardous materials. Although assessments are typically required only when properties change hands, they are advisable for all existing sites. ESAs are typically completed as part of site selection, well before design begins.

Site assessments happen in phases, from exploratory inquiries to more focused evaluations. Remediation can serve several purposes, depending on hazards found and their locations: