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Transparent pricing · Custom quote in 1 hour · ASTM E1527 compliant
Fill out our quick form with your property address. We review the details and send you a custom quote within 1 hour.
Receive transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Choose your turnaround: standard 3 weeks, or rush options for tighter deadlines.
Our environmental professionals conduct the assessment and deliver your ASTM E1527-compliant Phase 1 ESA report, ready for lenders.
A3 Environmental offers three levels of environmental due diligence. Not every transaction needs a full Phase 1 ESA — here is how to choose what fits your deal.
"We were running up against some deadlines, and they jumped through hoops to get everything completed on time."
"The A3E team did a great job on our Phase 1 report. They were quick, thorough and professional."
"They were able to give me all of the information that I needed. Highly recommend A3 Environmental."
Compliant reports
Small business (WOSB)
Environmental consulting
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A Phase 1 ESA is the standard environmental due diligence investigation for commercial real estate. It evaluates whether a property has been impacted by contamination from current or historical uses — protecting buyers, lenders, and investors from inheriting environmental liability. The assessment follows the ASTM E1527-21 standard, which is recognized by banks, government agencies, and the EPA as the accepted methodology for environmental site assessments.
Federal law (CERCLA) holds property owners liable for contamination on their land, even if they did not cause it. A Phase 1 ESA establishes what is known as the "innocent landowner defense" — documented proof that the buyer performed appropriate environmental due diligence before acquiring the property. Without this defense, a buyer could be responsible for cleanup costs that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. That is why virtually every commercial lender, the SBA, and most institutional investors require a Phase 1 ESA before closing.
Every A3 Environmental Phase 1 ESA begins with a thorough records review — examining historical aerial photographs, topographic maps, Sanborn fire insurance maps, and regulatory databases at the federal, state, and local level. Our environmental professionals then conduct a physical site reconnaissance, inspecting the property and its surroundings for visible signs of contamination such as staining, storage tanks, or chemical odors. We interview current and past owners, review relevant permits and violations, and evaluate neighboring properties that could pose an environmental risk.
The final deliverable is a comprehensive written report identifying any recognized environmental conditions (RECs), with clear conclusions and recommendations. Our reports are accepted by lenders nationwide and comply fully with the current ASTM E1527-21 standard.
A3 Environmental completes Phase 1 ESAs with a standard 3-week turnaround from project authorization. When your closing timeline is tight, our 2-week rush and 1-week expedited options keep your transaction on track. We serve commercial property owners, buyers, and lenders throughout the Midwest — including the Greater Chicago area, Rockford IL, Milwaukee WI, Northwest Indiana, Peoria-Bloomington IL, and the Quad Cities region.
