Charity & Environment / MacLennan alpacas are settling in

We are delighted to share some information on how our baby alpacas are settling in into their new home at Barefoot Barns where they will become therapy animals.

Barefoot Barns have updated us that our beautiful girl Primrose and boys Pluto and Felix are still having a settling in period, just so that they can find their own place in the pecking order amongst other alpacas on the farm. Barefoot Barns have an impressive flock of 17 alpacas and there are more on the way due to a successful breeding programme.

Even though alpacas gifted by MacLennan are not quite ready for work yet, they are fitting in well. Visitors especially like our boy Felix as he is so tiny.

They are undergoing special training to become therapy animals to work with children and adults with disabilities, adults with dementia, mental health difficulties and adults and children in hospices.

Training is a gentle affair, putting head collars on and off so that they get used to being handled and the feel of the collar, then they go onto a lead and they try and “walk” them which can be a mixed outcome at the moment. Once they will be 100% happy and behaving, they will be used for therapy.

Therapy involves service users meeting and greeting the animals, hand feeding and walking them.

So far Barefoot Barns have assisted James’s Place - a provider for adults with learning difficulties and additional needs, they have three sites that have been assisted at. Naomi House and Jacks Place which is a children’s hospice, Barefoot Barns have been privileged to provide assistance there.

The animals have also visited local schools in Wiltshire and have been involved with various charitable activities. We have also had service users visiting Barefoot Barns to spend time with all of the animals. So far Primrose, Pluto and Felix are fast becoming favourites with visitors.

One of MacLennan offices is located on a farm with many animals, including alpacas. When three new alpacas were born, at six months old they were gifted to a charity Barefoot Barns in Firsdown near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

Photos provided by Barefoot Barns

Barefoot Barns Facebook page

Waterproofing Grades explained: What will you use the basement for?

Any waterproofing design should start with a question on what is the intended purpose of the space that is going to be waterproofed. What will be stored there and what finishes will it have. This is what will determine what grade of waterproofing protection we need.

Confusion about the “Grades” was one of the main drivers behind the recent update of the BS8102 Standard.

The Code of practice 2009 used to say that Grade 2 as an example was a plant room and can be damp.

In fact some plant rooms can have very expensive finishes and can be used to house plant and electrical equipment and boards which cannot be in a damp environment.

So examples have been removed from the Standard.

Another issue with previous Standard was that it was not clear if Grade 2 was referring to penetrating damp or just environmental damp / condensation? Two different issues.

We still have 3 Grades, same as before, but Grade 1 is split into A and B. The focus is on the acceptable moisture level so it will be entirely up to the client to decide what grade is acceptable for whatever they will be putting in the basement, no examples are provided now.

This is what Grades are in the updated BS8102:2022 standard:

GRADE 1a Seepage and damp areas from internal and external sources are tolerable, where this does not impact on the proposed use of below ground structure.

GRADE 1b No seepage. Damp areas from internal and external sources are tolerable.

GRADE 2 No seepage is acceptable. Damp areas as a result of internal air moisture/ condensation are tolerable; measures might be required to manage water vapour/condensation.

GRADE 3 No water ingress or damp areas is acceptable. Ventilation, dehumidification or air conditioning necessary; appropriate to the intended use.

The agreed grade should meet with client’s expectations for the intended use of the below ground space. Reducing the grade could increase the risk of not meeting the expectations of the client.

The grade of waterproofing protection should be agreed at the earliest stage. Reducing the grade increases the risk.

Seepage has been defined separately to damp, and specifically mentioned as either acceptable or unacceptable depending on the Grade of protection.

If you want to discuss this document in more detail or simply prefer an interactive approach, book a FREE CPD on BS8102:2022.

Visit CPD booking page

below sea level basement construction in Sandbanks, Poole

Waterproofing below sea level

Challenging, interesting, and luxurious. We are very much looking forward to working on this new project later this year. We will be waterproofing a basement below sea level at the beautiful Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset for this gorgeous private residence. The building contractor Matrod Frampton have already started works here. They thrive on undertaking challenging projects that call for exceptional levels of experience and expertise and so do we!

Visit Matrod Frampton website

Archive for June, 2022

Charity & Environment / MacLennan alpacas are settling in

Waterproofing Grades explained: What will you use the basement for?

This is what Grades are in the updated BS8102:2022 standard:

Waterproofing below sea level

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