Environmental

Environmental site assessments (ESAs) aim to identify actual and potential sources of environmental liability, often as part of due diligence and risk mitigation before a property transaction. We will exceed your expectations with singular thoroughness and quality, supported by decades of experience.

We offer all three ESA phases:

• Phase I ESAs are generally non-intrusive and identify potential contaminants and areas of potential environmental concern.
• Phase II ESAs examine and assess these elements in more detail through sample collection and analysis, confirming the presence or absence of contaminants.
• Phase III ESAs assess the impact of contaminants confirmed in Phase II and starts to provide options on risk management or remedial action plan development.

Remedial action plans and risk management plans evaluate alternatives and recommend the best options to remediate or manage contaminated sites. These can be carried out before construction of a new development or as part of the decommissioning process for an old development.

A remedial/risk management action plan may include the following:

• A written report outlining the scope of the proposed plans
• A plan outlining how remedial/risk management objectives will be measured
• A remedial/risk management implementation schedule
• Detailed technical specifications and construction drawings
• Class A cost estimates for construction
• If necessary, a monitoring plan outlining how performance will be measured post-remediation
• A closure report that includes lab results, descriptions of any field actions taken and any requirements for ongoing monitoring and risk management

Hazardous building materials assessments are completed to determine the presence of asbestos, lead, mercury, PCBs, silica and other hazardous materials commonly used in construction until the mid 1990s. We also assess buildings for mould and moisture problems. Assessment of these issues is vitally important to ensure these materials don’t become airborne and threaten human health during building maintenance, renovation, or demolition.

This service includes:

• Thorough site investigations for hazardous building materials
• Abatement specifications and cost estimates
• Assistance retaining an abatement contractor
• Site supervision during abatement, including collection of pre-abatement, abatement and post-abatement air quality samples and surface lead dust samples
• Where asbestos is found, development of an asbestos management plan

Environmental impact assessments examine current baseline environmental conditions at a proposed project site and evaluate the potential positive and negative effects from a proposed development, be they environmental, socioeconomic or health-related. They then propose measures to mitigate any potential negative effects. Various governments require EIAs as part of licensing processes to move projects forward.

Building solid waste management facilities like landfills and waste transfer stations demands a great amount of professional knowledge and expertise.

Our services include:

• Desktop studies to identify candidate sites based on government regulations
• Subsurface investigations to confirm soil conditions
• Comprehensive design of facility layout and systems
• Long-term monitoring of the completed facility through sample collection and chemical analysis

Hydrogeologic investigations use chemical analysis and on-site test pumping to assess the quality, quantity and sustainability of groundwater for domestic, agricultural or industrial use.

Our hydrogeologic investigations include:

• Desktop studies to identify candidate sites for groundwater development
• Installation of monitoring wells to collect groundwater samples
• Hydraulic conductivity testing to confirm appropriate capacity for intended use
• Recommendations regarding site selection, groundwater withdrawal system and groundwater withdrawal rate