Understand the Project
Begining with the building, the work that's planned, and the available information.
Asbestos Assessments
Understand the materials before the work begins.
Renovation, demolition, maintenance, and other building projects can disturb materials that aren't always identifiable by appearance alone.
An asbestos assessment helps establish what materials are present providing useful information for planning the project and determining appropriate next steps.
Planning Before Disturbance
A little information upfront can prevent much bigger problems later.
Asbestos can be present in a variety of building materials, including flooring, mastics, insulation, ceiling materials, wall systems, roofing components, and other products.
And there's an important limitation:
You generally cannot determine whether a material contains asbestos just by looking at it.
Understanding the materials that may be disturbed is therefore an important part of planning work in an existing building.
Not sure what needs to be assessed?
Describe the building and the work you're planning. Then we'll determine an appropriate assessment scope.
The IES Approach
Start with the project, not a checklist.
An effective assessment begins with understanding what you intend to do with the building and which areas or materials may be affected.
Observe the Materials
Accessible areas are evaluated to identify suspect building materials relevant to the assessment.
Sample & Verify
Representative samples are collected when appropriate and submitted for laboratory analysis.
Explain the Findings
Observations and analytical results are organized into clear, useful assessment documentation.
What IES Looks For
Building materials tell part of the story.
Depending on the property and project, materials evaluated may include:
Flooring & Mastics
Floor tile, sheet flooring, backing materials, adhesives, and related components.
Walls & Ceilings
Joint compound, plaster, textured finishes, ceiling materials, and other finishes.
Mechanical & Thermal Materials
Pipe insulation, fittings, equipment insulation, and other thermal-system materials.
Roofing & Exterior Materials
Roofing components, sealants, siding products, and other exterior materials where applicable.
Other Suspect Materials
Additional materials identified based on their appearance, use, location, and the scope of the project.
The appropriate assessment depends on the building and the work being planned. Not every project involves the same materials, areas, or sampling strategy.
From Fieldwork to Findings
Sampling is only part of the assessment.
The value of an assessment isn't simply in collecting samples.
It's in connecting the field observations, samples, photographs, lab results, and project context into information that can be used to move your project forward.
When laboratory analysis is appropriate, representative samples are collected and the results incorporated into the assessment documentation.
Observed in the field.
Verified when appropriate.
Documented clearly.
Explained in context.
What You Receive
More than a laboratory result.
An IES asbestos assessment is designed to provide a clear record of what was evaluated and what was found.
Assessment Scope
The areas evaluated and their relationship to the planned work.
Material & Sample Information
Identification of suspect materials and representative sampling locations.
Photographic Documentation
Images providing useful context for materials, locations, and observed conditions.
Laboratory Results
Analytical results associated with collected samples.
Clear Findings
An organized explanation of what was identified and where.
Practical Next Steps
Information to help relate the findings to the planned work.
Want to see how IES communicates environmental findings?
View an Example AssessmentWhen an Assessment May Be Useful
If building materials are going to be disturbed, it's worth asking the question.
Planning a renovation?
Existing walls, flooring, ceilings, mechanical systems, or other materials may be altered or removed.
Preparing for demolition?
The structure or portions of it will be disturbed and associated regulations may apply.
Beginning repair or maintenance work?
Planned work may disturb existing building materials that could potentially be regulated.
Investigating an unexpected material?
Materials encountered during a project need to be understood before the work continues.
Reviewing an existing building?
New assessments may be required if previous documentation is unavailable, incomplete, or doesn't address the current project area.
Asbestos requirements can vary depending on the property, activity, and applicable regulations. The appropriate scope should be determined for the specific project.
After the Assessment
Findings should make the next decision easier.
Sometimes laboratory analysis indicates that sampled materials do not contain asbestos.
Sometimes asbestos containing material is identified and needs to be accounted for before work proceeds.
Either way, the purpose of the assessment is the same:
The goal is not to find asbestos.
The goal is to find the answer.
The findings can then support project planning, coordination with contractors or other professionals, and appropriate next steps for the work.
Planning work on an existing building?
You don't need to determine the assessment scope yourself. Describe the property, what you're planning, and what you already know. Then we'll determine an appropriate next step.
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Continue Learning
Understanding Asbestos Before Renovation
A practical guide to what property owners and project teams should understand before existing building materials are disturbed.