Robinson House at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

An historic mansion on the campus of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Robinson House was built in the 1840s and consists of three floor levels, an attic, and partial basement. In 2013, the Department of Historic Resources (DHR) listed it in the Virginia Landmarks Registry. Schnabel performed a limited hazardous material screening of the interior and exterior of the structure to support renovation considerations.

Interior and exterior sections of the building were inspected by Virginia DPOR-certified asbestos and lead-based paint inspectors. The asbestos inspection was performed using AHERA protocol, supported by laboratory analysis of suspect materials using polarized light microscopy (PLM). The lead-based paint inspection used x-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments to provide real-time measurement of lead content within painted surfaces. These inspections identified asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint in the interior and exterior of the structure.

We also examined light ballasts and fluorescent bulbs of the ceiling lighting system and compared the make and model numbers of ballasts and bulbs to published data for the likely presence of PCBs and mercury. Through this process, we identified mercury-containing thermostats, suspect PCB-containing light ballasts, and suspect mercury-containing light bulbs.