When you are considering buying property and would like a quick evaluation of the site, transaction screens can provide you with a quick overview. This low-cost survey of the site can be good if the land is considered to be low risk, supposedly not having any recognized environmental conditions.

The Purpose

This type of analysis of property will provide you with limited insight into its past use and what is present on the land. Although there are official guidelines for this type of investigation / report (ASTM E1528 Standard Practice for Limited Environmental Due Diligence), it can be completed much faster than other evaluations. The goal is to discover if there are any concerns discovered that may be a potential environmental problem.

The Assessment

Transaction screens typically only provide a basic analysis of the property. Most of the time, it is only used in residential neighborhoods where it is believed that hazardous materials have not ever been used or located.

The analysis looks at four different things. They are:

A Review of the Environmental Database

This survey looks at various databases that include Federal, State, and local agencies that regulate or control hazardous materials and keep records. They are reviewed to determine the presence or past use of hazardous materials, contamination, or underground storage tanks. The search would include looking for complaints, violations, and corrective actions that were made.

Historical Research

Looking at the known past use of the land may reveal the possible use or storage of potentially hazardous materials.

Records that will be looked at include aerial photographs, topographic maps, local street maps and directories, fire insurance maps, and records from the building department. Records from the surrounding properties will also be examined.

Site Reconnaissance

This aspect of the screen involves physically walking around the property and making observations. The observations will note the number, size, and age of the buildings, as well as the status of occupancy.

Interviews

Several interviews will also be conducted. This will be limited to people who can be reached rather easily and to those who would likely be familiar with the current and past uses of the property. It would likely include real estate agents, property managers and more.

Singer Environmental Group has been helping businesses and industrial groups to secure safe land for over 30 years. We provide Transaction Screens, Phase I environmental assessments and more in the New York tri-state area.