What Environmental Site Assessment does

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), operating as the trade name ESA Phase1 of LNForward LLC, is a Colorado-registered environmental engineering consultancy that delivers Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Transaction Screen Assessments (TSA), Record Search with Risk Assessments (RSRA), asbestos inspections, radon assessments, and related environmental consulting services. The firm is built around a two-person team led by owner and engineering manager Bruce Schardt, a West Point-trained nuclear engineer and EPA-Approved AHERA certified building inspector, and Chris Schardt, a qualified environmental professional since 2008. Its core technology is methodological conformance to recognized industry standards — ASTM International E-1527 for Phase I, E-1528 for TSA, SBA SOP 50 10 5 for RSRA, and AHERA/Colorado CDPHE Regulation 8-Part B for asbestos inspections — which positions its Phase I reports as qualifying for EPA All Appropriate Inquiry and the "innocent landowner" defense.

ESA generates revenue through professional services fees on a project-by-project, quote-based engagement model. Work originates from direct phone and website inquiries, with proposals requested via an online form and delivered into a funnel serving banks and lenders, real estate professionals, attorneys, investors, government agencies, and institutional asset managers. The firm operates three offices — Colorado Springs, Denver (Englewood), and Columbus, Ohio — covering Colorado, Ohio, and surrounding states. ESA explicitly positions itself as an independent Phase I provider that refers Phase II follow-up work to other firms to avoid the conflict of interest that bundling could create, and it maintains referral relationships with qualified project engineers for testing, design, and remediation. The firm has no external institutional investors, no disclosed funding, no M&A activity, and operates as a privately held LLC.

Name

Environmental Site Assessment

Legal name

LNForward LLC

Website

https://esaphase1.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA Phase1) is a Colorado-based environmental engineering consultancy providing Phase I ESAs, TSAs, RSRAs, asbestos, and radon assessments to banks, lenders, real estate professionals, attorneys, and investors across Colorado, Ohio, and surrounding states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Site Assessment Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) & ASTM Phase I ESA (EUAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Asbestos, Lead-Based Paint & Hazardous Building Materials Surveys (Pre-Acquisition/Demolition) (EUAHAEAF), Portfolio & Multi-Site Environmental Risk Screening (Desktop / Rapid Risk Assessments) (EUAHAEAK), Transaction Advisory for M&A, Lender & Investor Environmental Due Diligence (EUAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Environmental site assessments
• Phase I ESA
• Property due diligence
• Asbestos inspections
• Environmental consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Environmental Site Assessment Services: Professional consulting fees for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Transaction Screen Assessments, Record Search with Risk Assessments, asbestos inspections, radon assessments, and related consulting services. Services are typically one-time project-based engagements for property due diligence.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA Phase1) provides Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and related environmental consulting services to real estate professionals, lenders, attorneys, and investors requiring environmental due diligence for property transactions. Core offerings are the Phase I ESA (ASTM E-1527), Transaction Screen Assessment (ASTM E-1528), and Record Search with Risk Assessment (SBA SOP 50 10 5), supplemented by asbestos inspections, radon assessments, limited Phase II assessments, and general environmental consulting. Services are project-based professional engagements delivered from offices in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Columbus, Ohio.

Product overview

Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a consulting firm offering a portfolio of environmental assessment services. The core offerings are the Phase I ESA (performed to ASTM E-1527 standard for AAI/EPA due diligence), Transaction Screen Assessment (TSA, ASTM E-1528), and Record Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA, SBA SOP 50 10 5). Additional assessment services include Phase II ESA (limited, with referrals for expanded work), asbestos inspections (AHERA/CDPHE compliant), and radon testing. Consulting services for environmental concerns and remediation project management are also provided. The firm primarily serves real estate professionals, lenders, attorneys, and investors requiring environmental due diligence reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I ESA) ESA's primary service, performed in substantial conformance with ASTM International Standard E-1527, recognized by the EPA as All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) and proper due diligence for property purchases. Identifies historical and current uses of a property and surrounding area to assess environmental risk, qualifying owners for the 'innocent landowner' defense. Targeted at banks, real estate professionals, attorneys, and investors requiring environmental due diligence in Colorado and Ohio.
• Transaction Screen Assessment (TSA) Limited Environmental Due Diligence performed in substantial conformance with ASTM International Standard E-1528, providing a current snapshot of a property driven by a 20-question questionnaire. If any question is answered 'Yes' and cannot be adequately explained, further investigation or a Phase I may be required. Unlike a Phase I, a TSA is not considered by the EPA to be proper due diligence or AAI. Targeted at real estate professionals and lenders requiring a low-cost screening product.
• Record Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA) SBA product governed by SBA SOP 50 10 5, providing a 'Desktop' records and historical documentation search with primary emphasis on AAI-compliant environmental database search, historic street/city directories, and fire insurance maps for what has been on the subject property and around it out to 1/4 mile. Risk is assessed as LOW RISK or ELEVATED (HIGH) RISK. Not considered proper due diligence or AAI by the EPA. Targeted at SBA lenders and small business transactions.
• Asbestos Inspections and Assessments Inspections and assessments performed in substantial conformance with AHERA and Colorado CDPHE Regulation 8-Part B, conducted by AHERA and State of Colorado certified building inspectors. Targeted at property owners, lenders, and real estate buyers concerned about asbestos hazards in properties in Colorado.
• Radon Assessments Evaluations to determine the presence and extent of radon gas — a radioactive gas from natural uranium breakdown in soil and rock — testing whether levels exceed EPA recommended action levels. Targeted at residential and commercial property buyers, owners, and lenders concerned about radon exposure risk.
• Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (Phase II ESA) Limited Phase II Assessments offered by ESA only for established clients; ESA typically provides referrals to other companies for this work to preserve the independence of its Phase I conclusions. Targeted at established clients requiring follow-up subsurface testing.
• Environmental Consulting Advisory services providing assistance with environmental concerns, issue review, courses of action, second opinions (sounding board), and project management for sites requiring environmental remediation. Targeted at property owners and real estate professionals needing expert environmental advice beyond standard due diligence.

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Weston Solutions: Environmental consulting firm providing site assessment, remediation, and compliance services to commercial, lender, and government clients. Comparable Phase I ESA and environmental consulting offering.
• Partner Engineering and Science: National environmental due diligence, building sciences, and consulting firm offering Phase I/II ESA, asbestos, radon, and SBA-related services to lenders, attorneys, and investors. Most direct U.S. peer to ESA's service mix.
• EBI Consulting: Environmental and building sciences consulting firm providing Phase I ESA, asbestos, radon, and indoor air quality services nationwide. Directly comparable services and target customer base (lenders, REITs, attorneys).
• Haley & Aldrich: Environmental and geotechnical engineering firm offering Phase I/II ESA, environmental due diligence, and consulting to real estate, lender, and infrastructure clients. Comparable specialty consulting model with higher-end project mix.

Broad incumbents

• Apex Companies: National environmental consulting and remediation firm offering Phase I/II ESA, asbestos, and compliance services. Comparable Phase I ESA offering with broader remediation capability that ESA refers out.
• Atlas Technical Consultants: National consulting firm providing environmental due diligence, Phase I/II ESA, and infrastructure services. Comparable Phase I and lender-facing services across multiple U.S. markets.
• Montrose Environmental Group: Public environmental services company providing environmental due diligence, air quality, water, and remediation services. Comparable Phase I and asbestos offerings with national scale.
• Terracon Consultants: One of the largest U.S. environmental and geotechnical engineering firms, providing Phase I/II ESA, asbestos, radon, and remediation services nationwide. Comparable as a direct competitor for Phase I ESA work and as a likely consolidator for ESA.

Others

• EDR (Environmental Data Resources): Provider of environmental databases and historical records (Sanborn maps, city directories, regulatory records) used by ESA and similar firms as the data backbone for Phase I ESAs and RSRAs. Ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor.
• LightBox: Technology platform providing environmental due diligence data, automated Phase I screening, and CRE intelligence to lenders and consultants. Adjacent/disruptive to traditional Phase I ESA firms like ESA Phase1.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Environmental Site Assessment