‘Expanding Horizons’ - RPSA Annual Conference

Today, we are participating at the Residential Property Surveyors Association annual conference, which is taking place at the Kents Hill Park Conference Centre in Milton Keynes.

The conference is focusing on growth - not only of its membership, but growth in the number of people entering the profession, in addition to growth in the levels of work that members can achieve.  It is also bringing together specialists to discuss current issues or updates that are relevant to the residential surveyor community.

Mike Holden, head of client relationships (Surveyors) for Landmark Information Group’s Quest division is speaking at the event and plans to cover a wide range of topics.  This will include a review of mobile technologies that are designed to assist the surveyor community in conducting a number of tasks, including mortgage valuation reporting. Mike will also provide an insight into a range of property and land related risks that Landmark Information Group can help surveyors assess and plan for – which includes everything from flooding to unexploded ordnance!

We look forward to seeing you at today’s event!

#RPSA #RPSAconference #surveyors

‘Know Your Flood Risk’ to address GovKnow Flooding Policy Briefing

“Responding to the Growing Risks of Flooding and Coastal Erosion”

5th February 2015

Carburton Street, London

Mary Dhonau OBE, the chief executive of the Know Your Flood Risk campaign has been invited to speak at a GovKnow Policy Briefing, which will address the growing risk of flooding and coastal erosion across the UK.

The in-depth, policy-led briefing, which takes place on 5 February in London, brings together key policy makers, shapers and stakeholders who have an interest or involvement in managing flood risk and coastal protection, including local authorities, emergency services, business owners based in high-risk locations and policy makers.

Mary Dhonau OBE, who has personally experienced the appalling impact of flooding, will be talking to delegates about how to plan, prepare and mitigate against the risk of flooding, including analysing what information is available to accurately calculate the current and future dangers posed by flooding in specific locations, from county-level down to individual postcodes, communities or streets.

Confirms Mary: “Know Your Flood Risk works with major data providers, including Landmark Information Group, to maintain up to date flood risk modelling data. This ensures that detailed and accurate risk information is accessible on the different types and levels of flood risk across the country.  It is vital that homeowners, local authorities, the emergency services and policy makers are fully aware of how to calculate your flood risk at a community level, and if a risk is present what can be done to help prevent or mitigate against future flood risk.”

Know Your Flood Risk provides information and support on flood recovery and general flood resilience via its acclaimed guides. As part of its bid to educate homeowners, public sector organisations and businesses on their flood risk, Know Your Flood Risk provides access to flood reports, powered by Landmark Information Group’s flood risk data, which enables individuals to assess the flood risk to individual properties, streets, towns or regions. 

With Government figures suggesting that nearly one in six properties in England is at risk of flooding and that flood damage cost England alone £1.1 billion a year, the GovKnow event will examine the threat of flooding and coastal change, re-evaluate the policies and discuss the recent changes, providing a comprehensive insight into what is considered a complex policy issue.

To find out more about the Know Your Flood Risk campaign, or to download a number of free advice guides, visit:  www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk

GovKnow Briefing Location: Holiday Inn Regents Park, Carburton Street, London, W1W 5EE

Date: 5 February 2015

Bookings: To book your place at the briefing, click here:

http://govknow.com/briefing-detail.html?id=1408&info=overview

Landmark revolutionises Phase 1 environmental assessments with Envirocheck Analysis mobile app

·         New mobile app for Apple and Android devices enables full digitisation of Phase 1 environmental site assessments

·         Remote access to current maps, aerial photography and potential environmental risks now available whilst conducting a physical site walkover

·         Geo-locating technology can pinpoint specific site features and take accurate measurements

·         Synchronises information from site walkover back to the office, so no need to write- up notes

We are pleased to confirm the official launch of Envirocheck Analysis mobile app: a brand new mobile app for Apple and Android devices that enables environmental consultants and other land and property professionals to access digital mapping and environmental data whilst undertaking site walkovers for Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments.

Consultants can digitally analyse current and historical maps, aerial photography and environmental data on their PCs using Envirocheck Analysis,  and now using the free-to-download mobile app they can view these complete workings (including mapping, photography, user-drawn features and environmental data analysis) whilst out onsite. 

Using built-in GPS and geo-locating technology, precise measurements are also recorded by the app, providing accurate reporting of key site features. The ability to synchronise this new information back to Envirocheck Analysis in the office, including digital notes, photos and videos captured on the mobile app, removes the need to manually collate and type up notes and is a real time-saver. 

One of the first clients to use the Envirocheck Analysis mobile app is Land Quality Management's Paul Nathanail, he comments: “In property transactions time is money. The Envirocheck Analysis mobile app represents a step-change in the way site walkover information is captured and transmitted back to the office. Interpretation and reporting can begin as soon as the visit is finished. Decisions can be made quicker; deals will happen and not be stalled.”

Mark Burnard, Senior Product Manager at Landmark Information Group, adds: “With Envirocheck Analysis and the new mobile app, we’re taking the environmental site assessment process from being a paper-based task to a fully digital process.  The app provides users with mapping, data, information-capture tools and unsurpassable connectivity immediately at their fingertips.  It digitises the entire data collection and analysis process for Phase 1 environmental site assessments, removing the need to manually write-up notes, measure site details or rekey data on returning to the office.  Now, all site walkover notes are instantly ‘synced’ back to the Envirocheck Analysis desktop, streamlining the reporting process for all involved.”

Concludes Mark Burnard: “The launch of the Envirocheck Analysis mobile app is an important step forward in delivering a truly mobile environmental analysis solution.  By having access to data, map layers and notes in one place, consultants can now complete a site walkover with just a smartphone in their hand.  It’s a huge time-saver, delivers enhanced accuracy and ultimately will help provide time, cost and efficiency savings for both our current customers and new ones too.”

For more information on Envirocheck Analysis and the Envirocheck Analysis mobile app, visit www.envirocheckanalysis.co.uk, telephone 0844 844 9952 or email customerservice@envirocheck.co.uk.   

Landmark’s new Envirocheck Analysis fully digitises Phase 1 desk studies

• Environmental consultants can now digitally access current and historic maps AND related environmental data to streamline the Phase 1 analysis process of Environmental Site Assessments 

• Removes the need to cross-reference separate printed reports containing historical maps, current maps, aerial photography and environmental data

• Significantly cuts assessment time, saving money, whilst also improving overall accuracy of historical map and environmental data analysis

We are today proud to announce the launch of a brand new edition of Envirocheck Analysis, which has been designed to fully digitise the desk study process of Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments, which are conducted for land and property developments.

The new Envirocheck Analysis enables Environmental Consultants to digitally analyse current and historical maps and aerial photography, in conjunction with environmental data. This means that from within a single online platform, professionals can now accurately assess environmental risk factors related to a piece of land, without the need to overlay printed maps, manually draw boundaries or search through rafts of printed reports for potential sources, pathways or receptors of contamination.

Early customer feedback on the new Envirocheck Analysis platform has suggested that the time it takes to conduct the data analysis process is reduced by at least 25%.

Commenting on the launch of the new Envirocheck Analysis, Richard Puttock, Partner of Peter Brett Associates LLP said: "Envirocheck Analysis is really changing the way that we conduct our Phase 1 Site Assessments. In the past, we have ordered our environmental data and historical map reports through Envirocheck and spent our time analysing PDF reports and even printing the documents out to have physical copies to work through. Since adopting Envirocheck Analysis, we are already saving significant amounts of time in analysing historical mapping, and the measuring and drawing tools provide a great level of accuracy, in much less time. 

Continues Richard Puttock: “We have been involved in the entire user testing phase for the new Envirocheck Analysis, and we can't wait to start using it for all our Phase 1 desk studies. With all of Envirocheck's environmental data layers being added into the application, we no longer have to spend so long identifying symbols on maps and relating ID numbers back to separate datasheet reports. Now we can visualise everything in Envirocheck Analysis, alongside current and historical mapping, and make an assessment on the potential risk in much less time. Ultimately, this allows us to complete the job more efficiently without comprising accuracy or quality, which helps us provide an even better service to our clients."

The key features of the new Envirocheck Analysis include:
• Overlay digital environmental data onto current or historical maps to determine potential contamination risks
• Instantly review information behind every dataset to understand what is being highlighted and the potential risks
• Decide how far away from the target site you want data displayed to by using the Distance Filter tool for every dataset
• Access a range of aerial photography plus drawing and measuring tools to mark-up Phase 1 assessments
• Draw Pins to instantly highlight historical land use or environmental concerns – each pin records a grid reference, plus the distance and direction from site using an accurate measuring tool
• Instantly Export these Pins (and their associated information) as a table, directly into environmental site assessment reports.
• View an instant summary of the number of potential risks via a handy ‘feature count’ tool
• Create instant photo snapshots of the site that can be exported to reports
• Saves hours per Phase 1 desk study on historical map and environmental data analysis

Mark Burnard, Senior Product Manager at Landmark Information Group, said: “Through extensive industry consultation, we've listened to what our customers want and are excited to today launch the new Envirocheck Analysis platform.  It enables consultants to be able to assess and analyse mapping and environmental data faster, with more accuracy and ultimately helps deliver detailed and highly accurate reports to clients, faster.  The aim is to remove the need for consultants to have to use light boxes, lots of paper, scale rules and sticky tape when analysing printed maps with environmental data: now this can be all done online.”

Concludes Mark Burnard: “The evolution of environmental reporting doesn't stop here. With the new Envirocheck Analysis platform fully digitising the historical map and environmental data analysis element of Phase 1 assessments, plans are already underway to integrate Site Walkovers into the online platform.  We have some more exciting developments coming very soon, which will integrate remote and mobile working. Watch this space for updates.”

Launch Promotion:
Envirocheck Analysis is available free of charge during August and September. For more information on Envirocheck Analysis, telephone 0844 844 9952 or email customerservice@envirocheck.co.uk.

Envirocheck Analysis - providing digital access to maps and environmental intelligence