Systems and methods for automating environmental risk evaluation

• US 20070088507A1
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Environmental Data Resources, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Environmental Data Resources, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Jon, Schiffer, Paul, Haberlen, James, Klinger, Tom
• Application Number:
  US11/250,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention comprise systems and methods for conducting automatically generated environmental risk evaluations for properties. A computerized method preferably uses known data of property records and compares those properties to environmental evaluation factors according to rules contained in environmental scoring databases to produce a risk report comprising a risk score, findings, and a property timeline.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for providing property information, comprising the steps of:

electronically receiving a request for environmental information regarding a target property, wherein said request includes data sufficient to identify said target property;

electronically searching a plurality of databases for environmental information regarding said target property and other properties located within one or more pre-determined distances of said target property;

electronically storing environmental and identifying information found in said databases related to said target property and other properties within said one or more pre-determined distances of said target property;

electronically evaluating said stored environmental and identifying information to identify environmental risk factors relating to said target property and each of said other properties;

electronically calculating one or more preliminary scores, one for said target property and one for each of said other properties; and

electronically calculating a numeric risk score for said target property based on said one or more preliminary scores.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said request is received over a computer network.

3. A method as in claim 1, further comprising displaying a risk-level categorization based on said risk score.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said risk-level categorization is further based on one or more pre-determined risk tolerance thresholds.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising displaying said risk score for said target property.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said environmental and identifying information comprises data regarding creation dates for information sources for said databases.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said environmental and identifying information comprises historical data regarding said target property or said other properties.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said evaluating step comprises comparison of said stored information to one or more environmental risk tables.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein said environmental risk table comprises data corresponding to columns, and wherein each column corresponds to a pre-determined distance from a generic target property.

10. A method as in claim 8, wherein said preliminary scores are based at least in part on numerical values in said columns.

11. A method as in claim 8, wherein at least one of said environmental risk tables comprises data corresponding to rows, and wherein each of said rows corresponds to a database.

12. A method as in claim 8, wherein at least one of said environmental risk tables comprises data corresponding to rows, and wherein each of said rows corresponds to a keyword.

13. A method as in claim 1, further comprising calculating an adjusted score for said target property and each of said other properties, wherein each adjusted score is based on a corresponding preliminary score and wherein said risk score is further based on said adjusted scores.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said adjusted score for each property is based at least in part on a site status of one or more environmental risk factors for that property.

15. A method as in claim 13, wherein said adjusted score for each property of said other properties is based at least in part on a comparison of elevation of that property to elevation of said target property.

16. A method as in claim 13, wherein said adjusted score for each property is based at least in part on soil and geologic characteristics for that property.

17. A method as in claim 13, wherein said adjusted score for each property is based at least in part on health risks for that property.

18. A method as in claim 13, wherein said adjusted score for each property is based at least in part on historical factors regarding that property.

19. A method as in claim 1, wherein said evaluating step comprises calculating a probability or range of probabilities regarding one or more of said factors.

20. A method as in claim 13, wherein said adjusted score is based at least in part on estimated costs.

21. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of electronically searching a plurality of databases comprises vectorizing a fire insurance map collection.

22. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of electronically searching a plurality of databases comprises converting scanned maps to a set of GIS lines.

23. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of electronically searching a plurality of databases comprises searching for a numeric code in a GIS database.

24. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of electronically searching a plurality of databases comprises searching raster-scanned Fire Insurance Map images using GIS technology or optical character recognition.

25. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of electronically searching a plurality of databases comprises searching printed Fire Insurance Map images using GIS technology or optical character recognition.

26. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of electronically searching a plurality of databases comprises searching a database of manually abstracted Fire Insurance Map images using GIS technology, optical character recognition, or keywords.

27. Computer software for providing property information, comprising:

software for electronically receiving a request for environmental information regarding a target property, wherein said request includes data sufficient to identify said target property;

software for electronically searching a plurality of databases for environmental information regarding said target property and other properties located within one or more pre-determined distances of said target property;

software for electronically storing environmental and identifying information found in said databases related to said target property and other properties within said one or more pre-determined distances of said target property;

software for electronically evaluating said stored environmental and identifying information to identify environmental risk factors relating to said target property and each of said other properties;

software for electronically calculating one or more preliminary scores, one for said target property and one for each of said other properties; and

software for electronically calculating a numeric risk score for said target property based on said one or more preliminary scores.

28. A computer system programmed to:

receive a request for environmental information regarding a target property, wherein said request includes data sufficient to identify said target property;

search a plurality of databases for environmental information regarding said target property and other properties located within one or more pre-determined distances of said target property;

store environmental and identifying information found in said databases related to said target property and other properties within said one or more pre-determined distances of said target property;

evaluate said stored environmental and identifying information to identify environmental risk factors relating to said target property and each of said other properties;

calculate one or more preliminary scores, one for said target property and one for each of said other properties; and

calculate a numeric risk score for said target property based on said one or more preliminary scores.