Environmental Site Assessments
Assessing the environmental, health and safety issues associated with a site or business, including phase 1 and phase 2 assessments
Case Study
Understanding your site
Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) play a pivotal role in understanding and managing environmental, health, and safety considerations associated with sites or businesses.
Whether driven by real estate transactions, insurance arrangements, permits, or internal risk management, a comprehensive ESA is crucial. At Anthesis, we recognise the diverse needs for assessments and offer tailored solutions to provide clients with valuable insights and a foundation for sustainable practices.
The Anthesis advantage
Partnering with Anthesis ensures a holistic approach to environmental management. Our commitment to excellence, global experience, and sector-specific expertise make us the preferred choice for clients seeking comprehensive and reliable environmental solutions.
With a focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments, we go beyond traditional assessments to include climate change and sustainability considerations, aligning with evolving industry standards.
Site Assessment Solutions
Identifying and quantifying environmental, health and safety issues at particular sites has traditionally been achieved by undertaking Phase I Environmental Assessments (āEnvironmental Auditsā). If required, Phase II Environmental Assessments can also be completed.
Phase I Environmental Assessments (ESAs) include a desk study element. This comprises a review of pertinent historical maps, aerial photographs and records, as well as current regulatory information. Where appropriate, a site visit may also be carried out to gain a first-hand understanding of its operations and condition. In some cases, Phase I Assessments uncover actual or potential contamination of soil or groundwater, and/or development planning or regulatory processes require a baseline on current site conditions. Anthesis can clarify the nature and extent of that contamination risk by undertaking a Phase II Environmental Assessment.
Our approach to Environmental Site Assessments
Phase 1 ESA – We provide an initial understanding of contamination risks, identify hazardous materials, and evaluate flood risks alongside compliance assessments to ensure thorough environmental due diligence.
Phase 2 ESA – We conduct intrusive investigations for soil and groundwater contamination, including physical sampling, chemical testing, and quantitative risk assessments to clarify potential risks.
ESG-Integrated Assessments – We include climate change and sustainability factors in our assessments, providing comprehensive evaluations aligned with ESG commitments.
Global Expertise – We deliver assessments consistently worldwide, leveraging sector-specific expertise across diverse industries and adhering to international standards like ASTM E1527.
Case Studies
Navigating ESA regulations worldwide
Environmental site assessment requirements vary significantly by jurisdiction, but the underlying principle is consistent: understanding what a site contains, and what it means for the people, communities and ecosystems connected to it, is a prerequisite for responsible development, investment and operation.
Anthesis works across every major regulatory environment, helping clients understand their obligations and navigate assessments with confidence – whether a transaction spans a single market or multiple continents.
In the UK, contaminated land is governed primarily by Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, with technical methodology set out in the Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) guidance, updated in 2025. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that development sites are demonstrated to be suitable for their proposed use, making Phase 1 and Phase 2 assessments a standard part of planning applications on brownfield or potentially affected land. Lenders and acquirers routinely require Phase 1 ESAs as part of commercial property transactions and M&A due diligence, aligned to UK-specific protocols and Environment Agency guidance.
Across the EU, site assessment requirements are shaped by national contaminated land legislation, the Environmental Liability Directive (2004/35/EC), and growing due diligence obligations under frameworks such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). National standards vary – from the BBodSchG soil protection legislation in Germany to France’s BASIAS and BASOL registers – but the principle of site-specific risk assessment ahead of acquisition, development or disposal is well-established across member states.
In the US, the ASTM E1527-21 standard defines the recognised methodology for Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments, underpinned by CERCLA (the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act) and its innocent landowner liability protections. Completing a compliant Phase 1 ESA is typically a prerequisite for securing these protections in commercial real estate and infrastructure transactions. State-level requirements add further obligations in many jurisdictions.
Australia’s framework draws on state-based contaminated land legislation – including the Contaminated Land Management Act in New South Wales and equivalent Acts across other states – alongside the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (ASC NEPM), which provides nationally consistent guidance on investigation and risk assessment methodology. ESAs are routinely required for planning approvals, land transfers and remediation works.
Across the GCC and wider Middle East, site assessment requirements are increasingly embedded in national environmental protection laws and development approval processes. The UAE Federal Law on Environmental Protection, Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for Environmental Compliance standards, and equivalent frameworks in Qatar and Kuwait all establish obligations for environmental due diligence ahead of development and industrial operations. International lenders operating in the region frequently require assessments aligned with IFC Performance Standards and World Bank Environmental and Social Framework requirements.
Wherever you operate, Anthesis brings the local regulatory knowledge and technical depth to ensure your environmental site assessment meets the requirements of the jurisdictions that matter to you – and delivers the insight needed to make informed decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
An Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a process used to evaluate the environmental conditions of a site, identifying potential or existing contamination from current or historical land use. ESAs are commonly required for real estate transactions, M&A due diligence, regulatory permitting and internal risk management.
A Phase 1 ESA is a non-intrusive desk-based review of historical records, maps and site conditions to identify recognised environmental conditions (RECs). A Phase 2 ESA involves physical investigation ā including soil and groundwater sampling and chemical testing ā to confirm and quantify contamination identified in Phase 1.
ESAs are typically required during commercial real estate transactions, corporate mergers and acquisitions, project financing and lending, planning and permitting applications, and as part of ESG due diligence for investors and fund managers.
A Phase 1 ESA typically includes: a desk-based study reviewing historical maps, aerial photographs, and environmental records; a review of current regulatory databases for known contamination or enforcement notices; a site walkover to observe current conditions, land use, and any visible signs of contamination; interviews with site owners or occupants where appropriate; and a written report identifying any Recognised Environmental Conditions (RECs) and recommendations for further investigation. At Anthesis, Phase 1 assessments also incorporate flood risk, hazardous materials screening and ESG considerations.
A Phase 2 ESA is required when a Phase 1 assessment identifies actual or potential contamination that needs further investigation, or when a baseline of site conditions is needed for planning or regulatory purposes. It is commonly triggered during property transactions where a lender or purchaser requires confirmation of contamination risk, brownfield redevelopment projects, planning applications on potentially contaminated land, and corporate acquisitions involving industrial or historically sensitive sites. The Phase 2 involves intrusive investigation including soil and groundwater sampling, chemical analysis and quantitative risk assessment.
Anthesis conducts ESAs in accordance with internationally recognised standards including ASTM E1527 in North America and equivalent national standards in the UK and Europe. Our assessments also incorporate ESG and climate risk factors aligned with evolving industry and regulatory requirements.
Our site assessment experts
Get in touch
Thank you for your interest in Anthesis Group. Please complete this form to discuss how we can help you.
Loading…