Biomass boiler warning

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has issued a warning with respect to potential problems with biomass boilers under certain conditions. The full warning can be viewed here. If you are concerned and wish any advice, then please contact our Gerry Brannigan on 0141 270 7060.

Straight from the judges mouth

We at Cadogans pride ourselves in the quality of advice we deliver to our clients and we are delighted that Sheriff Alayne Swanson of Glasgow and Strathkelvin Sheriff court agrees. In a recent case (in which our Rajen Lavingia gave evidence), she noted:


“The evidence which I heard from the pursuer’s expert witness Dr Lavingia…assisted me in concluding…that if the scaffold structure including the hop ups had been put together properly with the tie bars hammered correctly into place this accident could not have occurred. The evidence from a number of witnesses was that the structure would be completely stable in that event and tie bars and boards simply could not have been dislodged. I was therefore satisfied on the evidence that the only explanation as to how the accident occurred is that the tie bar was (a) not there at all or (b) in position but not properly secured”.

Cadogans Environmental review 2012-13

Cadogans Environmental and Social Review is produced by the company each year to analyse its impact on the environment both in terms of the projects that we undertake and the way that we work as a business to achieve our project goals.

Highlights of our review include:

• A reduction of paper use of over 80%
• A reduction in general waste of 70%
• A reduction of 59% in the amount of electricity used
• A reduction of 19% in CO2 emissions through travel
• We have been involved in innovative and environmentally sustainable projects including a large NHS energy efficiency survey, a biomass housing project and a project to use solar water heating and solar PV electricity generation to partly power a mental health service building.
• We also undertook an internal survey which suggested that every one of our staff agreed that they had good working relationships with their colleagues.
• The proportion of female technical staff is 38% higher than the average UK engineering company.*

The message from this review is clear. Not only do we at Cadogans feel that it is our responsiblity to lead the way in establishing a sustainable way of working, but many of the projects we work on reflect our vision of a clean, sustainable future. Our engineers understand their role in this and embrace it.

Please click here to see our review.

*all figures can be viewed in our full report

Jim Crawford

It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jim Crawford. 

Jim was 73 and was one of Cadogans’ founding fathers. Our thoughts are with his wife Jean, his 2 children and his family.

Domestic Solar Panels

Have you ever wandered past a house with a solar panel on its roof and considered whether or not it would make financial sense for you to install one yourself?

Well, Cadogans best brains have given this much consideration and have produced a short, easy to understand guide to give you an idea of the costs and benefits of making this commitment.

 Click here and choose "Domestic Solar Voltaic Energy in Scotland" to find out more.

ICE Editorial - Rajen Lavingia

 The Institute of Civil Engineers have published an editorial written by our senior structural engineer Rajen Lavingia (Click here to see the article on the ICE website).

Rajen discusses a number of case studies and a book which relate to structural engineering issues and how the Engineering fraternity can learn from them.

Forensic Engineer vs Consulting Engineer

Our Rajen Lavingia has written a thoughtful article on why a forensic engineer is important in legal cases. He stresses that a consulting engineer is trained to follow a thorough design process to ensure a project is undertaken with minimum errors, whereas the forensic engineer must take on the roles of part engineer, part Sherlock Holmes, part teacher.
 

You can see Rajens article at http://www.cadogans.com/resources/cadogans-articles-and-technical-papers/

Safe as Houses

Ever wanted to build your own home but were put off by the scare stories you heard? We have produced an easily understood article explaining the issues that are easily overlooked in the desire to complete a project quickly. It lays stress on the need to undertake proper research on the land prior to purchase and the potential issues that could arise if this is not undertaken methodically. You can read our article at http://www.cadogans.com/resources/cadogans-articles-and-technical-papers/

Nuclear Power Station Disputes

We have produced another easy to read article on how nuclear power works. Its setout for the layman to understand and it also gets into details of how disputes arise. You can see the article at http://www.cadogans.com/resources/cadogans-articles-and-technical-papers/

Scotland v England

Our John McCullough has produced an article on the difference in legal systems between Scotland and England from the point of an expert witness. He looks at how reports are used in court, how arbitration differs as well as the comparative importance of meeting of experts in the 2 jurisdictions. you can surf to his article at http://www.cadogans.com/resources/cadogans-articles-and-technical-papers/

Great Wilderness Challenge 2013.

After months of planning another Cadogans’ challenge is about to get underway. Very early on a dull Saturday morning in the far North West of Scotland. 12 of us have travelled to Poolewe for the Great Wilderness Challenge. For some of us it’s the second outing. Others have been persuaded to give it a go based on the tales we have told. Novices and veterans. The second time around, for any kind of challenge, is harder –you know you can do it but have you done the same amount of training you did last year when your motivation was fear of failure?  Hmmmm? In my case, No.

I can report: It is definitely harder second time round. The hills are definitely steeper and higher this year; the long walk along Loch Fionn is definitely longer this year; ageing legs have clocked up another year of life and don’t they let you know; the midges are definitely more abundant and bigger and hungrier this year; and most unusually burning feet tell you that the 1 mile section of road before the finishing line has definitely been replaced with the hardest material known to man with integral under-road heating switched to maximum!

Minimal ceremony at the start. The bus arrives at Corrie Halle, we step off, are walking and find that the door of the bus was the start line. The order is established within 100 yards. Family McIntyre (Mad Dog, Maud, Sons 2 and 4) are off like greyhounds out of the traps. In particular Robbie and Keith are out of sight in minutes. Alan and Iain establish the middle order. And Allan B keeps me and daughters, Hazel and Fiona (aka Thin and Thinner), company at the rear. Although the mist is low, this early on there is an easy, breezy feel to the proceedings …..

Yet still my lonely spirits soar amongst the mountains and glens

From my ancestral burial ground, I am McIain.

Novices and Vets.  A large mixed group this year. 12 in all. Some experienced Challengers and some novices. One of the distinguishing features seems to be the amount carried. Almost to a man the novices are over dressed and have overweight bags on their backs. The Vets have minimal clothing and almost nothing on their backs. I seem to be somewhere in between –clothing seems to be right this year –T-shirt and light trousers –but still far too much baggage. Michael O’Leary wouldn’t let me on one of his planes with the amount I’m carrying.

My inventory comprises: waterproofs (Atlantic fisherman weight); spare laces; various medicines; midge repellent; whistle; 5 heavy-weight bin bags (see below); spare socks; spare shirt; walking poles; mobile phone; 2lts of orange squash; copious quantities of food (two rolls with 6 pork and chilli spiced sausages, 3 cereal bars, banana, Fry’s Chocolate Cream most of which remained largely uneaten); skipped cap; wide brimmed hat (with integral midge net); 2 credit cards & £80 cash. What use cash and plastic when real wealth out in the wilds of Wester Ross is measured in other ways. With my stash of anti-inflammatories (3 x 8 packs of Ibuprofen) and blister repair patches (3 packs Compeed) I’m rich! But most bizarrely I seem to have brought my Glasgow libraries membership card. It may seem a lot but it’s less than last year. I have learnt a wee bit from last year and ditched the full size binoculars and RSPB bird book. Still think there is room for improvement though.

By contrast McIntyre Senior is trying to emulate the family greyhound theme by dressing only in figure hugging stretchy material that leaves nothing to the imagination. And he has only a microscopic bag super-glued to his back. For goodness sake, he doesn’t even have room for his library card!

I haven’t mentioned team members 11 and 12 –Karen and Gerry. These other 2 are doing the alternative route so we don’t see them till the end. Karen seemed to breeze through the Saturday but her relaxed Saturday demeanour was replaced on Sunday by a fixed grimace –she moved like someone wearing a full body plaster cast. Iain would have been with Gerry and Karen but at the eleventh hour he casually announced he thought the shorter route looked a bit featureless and transferred to the 25 miler. It’s taken most of us many months to gird ourselves for this 25 mile hike. Iain takes a couple of minutes.

Last year Gerry “Blisters” Brannigan (as he shall be known from now on) pulled out of the GWC in the run up to the event. In my post-event blog I questioned his manliness although nobody knew because the censors red-penned my description as being non-PC. (I think my comment might have been: Gerry, you’re a limp-wristed, blouse-wearing, sit-down-to-pee boy.) “Blisters” obviously got wind of this and, being suitably humiliated, devised a cunning plan to recover his reputation.

A week before D-day and he decides to try out his walking boots for the first time. To make things a little more challenging he fills his boots with a mixture of sharp sand, broken glass and a couple of razors blades. A 7 mile Sunday stroll later and Blisters is virtually crippled. His boots have cut his feet to ribbons. I know, I’ve seen the photos. Blisters the size of small Hebridean islands adorn his heels. Blood and lumps of white skin and red-raw flesh everywhere. For an hour or two on Monday morning, the cheery Brannigan disposition is somewhat muted. Maybe he’s overdone it. But no, as the week goes by he learns to smile through the pain. We didn’t think he would make it to the start line, far less the finish line. “Respect, Blisters.”. It’s a testament to your fortitude. And your investment in warm salty water, Compeed, Dr Scholl orthopaedic in-soles and Smartwool walking socks. (Ask him to show you the photos if you dare, but make sure a few hours have passed since you had your breakfast).

Back to the main event. A couple of hours in and GF man, Thin and Thinner have formed a tight family group. Allan “Crocodile Dundee” Brown and Iain are nearby. The others? Vanished into the distance.

Allan sneaks past us at the Shenavall toilet stop (according to the ladies, one that’s worth making full use of). The river/bog/2^nd river crossing approaches. But in the space of a few minutes Allan Brown manages to achieve legendary status. By the time we are crossing the bog we hear tales of a man sporting a Crocodile Dundee bunnet who had leapt to the rescue of a young damsel in distress. She had fallen, waist deep, into the mire. Allan managed to drag her to safety and save her from a watery end.

Actually it took 3 of them to drag her out so maybe she was more of a dragonfly than a damsel. Also, as she was being dragged out the bog decided to hang on to her breeks so the reality may not have been quite as edifying as the legend.

One of the challenges of the Challenge is the two river crossings. It’s not that they’re raging torrents that might sweep you away. It’s the tactical decision; do I stop, remove boots, put on swimming shoes; or do I plunge in and put up with squelchy feet for 18 miles? Baldrick –I have a cunning plan. Plastic bags over our feet/legs. It worked, after a fashion. Was quick and easy. Feet mainly dry after 1^st river –good show. But wet after second -boooo. A close inspection reveals that heavy weight domestic bin bags are not up to it. Thicker bags needed next year. Need to upgrade to builder’s rubble sacks. Oh, and I’ll also count the number of feet/legs in our party of 3 a bit more carefully next year. 5 bags is not enough (unless one of the party is one-legged which is unlikely if you’ve successfully completed your first 7 miles through the Wester Ross wilderness!)

We catch and overtake Crocodile Dundee on the climb up Gleann na Muice Beag.  The ascent is a killer. We hear later that it nearly does for Alan C so much so that, out of character, he calls time on proceedings later that night.

By plateau stage, limbs are aching and bodies know they’re having a serious day out in the mountains. Quite tired. In fact very tired. I look at my bare arm, it’s thick with midges but I can’t be bothered wiping them away. “Fill your boots, wee midges”, I say inwardly. I realise I’m seriously tired.

Somewhere along the way I must have jarred my right ankle. I’m beginning to feel it. On the descent to Carnmore I realise I’m limping. Not a good prospect when there are still 10 miles to go. Oh God, midges, drizzle, tiredness, crumbling body and still 10 miles. I seek solace by rummaging through my extensive inventory and discover my library card. OMG, am I glad I brought that along. If there’s one thing guaranteed to lift your flagging spirits it’s checking the expiry date on your library card. And there’s a nice picture of the Squinty Bridge on it too. A quick glance and my spirits will be soaring.

But Carnmore proves to be a turning point. I refuel with a high-octane cocktail of substances and sustenance (a ½ Mars bar, a whole Fry’s Chocolate Cream, 3 Ibuprofen and, the secret ingredient, 1 Diclofenac). 20 minutes later and I’m a new man, moving freely again and marching along to the inspiring words of the Happy Wanderer:

“I love to go a wand-er-ing

A-long the moun-tain tra-ah-ack

And as I go, I love to sing

My knap sack on my ba-ah-ack”

Well a slightly revived but deranged man.

“How did I tempt Thin and Thinner away from their normal weekend activities?” you may ask. Of course I tempted them with stories of soaring mountains, remote lochs, expansive landscapes, the challenge of testing yourself in an unfamiliar environment. Yeh, yeh. All that, but what really inspired them were my tales of the bountiful checkpoints with home baking aplenty. Both will go a long way for a buttered pancake. Which is just as well as my memory of the location of the home baking was a bit sketchy. What I hadn’t quite remembered from last year is that it’s not until checkpoint number 4 at Carnmore (over half way, 15 miles!), that you get the first checkpoint that has anything to offer other than fluids (plus midge protein). You have to be really keen to walk 15 miles for a fruit scone. My big promises of lavish food stops were wearing a bit thin by then. My credibility was on the line. But Carnmore didn’t disappoint. The midges may have prevented a lengthy stop but it didn’t prevent Thin and Thinner from filling their mouths and their pockets. And then only a few further miles on (well 7 actually) Kernsary was probably better because by that point the nice ladies from the Women’s Guild running the home baking table were more intent on disposing of their wares so that they didn’t have as much to carry down the hill at the end of the day. Mouths and pockets filled again. Happy days.

Unfortunately the checkpoint experience was not as fulfilling for me as it was for Thin and Thinner. (Home baking has limited appeal for GF man.) The offer of a large dram is another matter. I refused a “wee goldie” at Carnmore because at Carnmore there is still fair few miles to go and I knew that those fine RNLI guys would be generous at Kernsary having been dispensing whisky all day on a one-for-you-one-for-me basis but….. what’s this? Kernsary hoves into view and the RNLI guys are nowhere to be seen. Surely they are not out at sea rescuing people? They really have to get their priorities sorted. “Oh no, dear. They’ve been promoted to finish line duties this year.” Oh well; “A quarter orange and a cup of tea for me please.” Schoolboy error -a dram in the hand is worth two at the next checkpoint.

Another feature of being with Thin and Thinner is that suddenly toileting arrangements take on a new importance. Once we’re out on the hills suddenly I find myself part of a whole sub-culture dedicated to spotting suitable rocks to hide behind. Tips are passed through the female participants like closely guarded betting tips. I become part of the look-out arrangements. For the record there is an outside toilet at the bothy at Shenavall (highly rated); there is an excellent rock half way across the plateau after about 12 miles but to be honest it’s a bit close to the good views down over Dubh Loch and is also favoured by photographers (although maybe the photographers are more interested in what’s going on behind the rock than Dubh Loch) and if you speak very nicely to housekeeper of the lodge house at Carnmore you may be allowed to avail yourself of their facilities.

Why does the bus taking us to the starting point stop for a comfort break only 30 minutes after we left Poolewe? In retrospect the reason is obvious. It’s not how much time since the LAST toilet stop. It’s the time until the NEXT one that counts. And the next opportunity for the ladies to ablute in comfort and dignity is……. is…. uncertain, at best. 

By six in the evening the sun is shining in Poolewe and everyone has been counted back in safely. We miss the prize-giving but as we’re not threatening to win anything we can cope with that. Still plenty of soup and sandwiches though. A pint on the way home. Then showers and comfy slippers.

The plan for our Saturday night celebratory evening was pizzas chez McIntyre. Pizzas cooked in The Steading. The Steading? Whereas Greenhill is a delightful well-appointed traditional Scots cottage, The Steading is the opposite.  It sounds quaint but The Steading is a falling down ramshackle old byre to the side of Greenhill. The animals all moved out in protest years ago. Our Sunday morning task was to repair/replace the two windows. Let’s just say that nailing and gluing some bits of wood and perspex in place in a total time of about one hour –ie. a lash-up job –increased its value considerably. Apparently Mad Dog has got himself a new pizza oven and it is in The Steading. Not sounding promising.

However when we walk in, there, occupying half of the building, is the most majestic f**k-o*f pizza oven you’ve ever seen. The Rolls Royce of pizza ovens is an understatement. The building may be falling down but the pizza oven is fabby-do. Guys, chuck out your BBQ’s. From now on it’s pizza ovens all the way. Boys with toys.

All the planning, hard work and aching joints are rewarded with food and drink and even some communal singing. The pizzas made with pizza dough brought all the way from Sartis (including the GF version) are fantastic. Actually Mad Dog didn’t do much –he oversaw operations as sous chefs Robbie and Keith did all the work. Well done, boys.

Time to sit back and revel in the satisfaction of a job well done.

Thanks to all of the Cadogans Grouse Beaters team, the office support team, Maud and David for accommodating us but most importantly all friends, family and business colleagues who have made donations. The GWC does a fantastic job helping local Scottish charities and we are delighted to help in our own small way.

As this blog hits the ether we are standing at £1,991.

Thank you.

Cadogans Great Wilderness Challenge

The team is taking part in our annual Great Wilderness Challenge charity fundraiser. This event is taking place on Saturday 24th August and a page has been added to the website for contributions. Please give graciously and wish all the team a safe return from their adventure!

Cadogans Legionella control

Understanding your statutory responsibilities. For all Building owners and those responsible for buildings. Check out Page 9 of the link below. http://issuu.com/potion/docs/ywz_mag_p1-76_online_b?mode=mobile