ADVICE & OPINION
FATAL IMPACT
FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET
Simon Slade, Principal Technologist at Pilkington UK, discusses the role of glass and glazing in
making buildings more bird-friendly
Bird protection is becoming an
important consideration in
building design. Some estimates
suggest that collisions with buildings
are responsible for the deaths of up
to a billion birds each year – with 100
million birds a ected by collisions in
the UK alone.
So far, the UK has been relatively slow
to adopt bird-safe building regulations,
with the result that many buildings
don’t have bird-friendly measures
installed. However, a flurry of recent
developments around the globe shows
that the issue of birds striking buildings
is beginning to attract the attention it
should. A key example of this was the
Bird-Safe Buildings Act introduced in
the US Congress last January, which
requires all public buildings under
construction to feature bird-safe building
materials and designs when possible.
Given these recent developments,
there is a strong chance that similar
regulations may begin to make their way
to the UK, so FMs should give serious
thought to bird-friendliness as a design
factor when it comes to recommending
building upgrades. Estimates suggest
16 MAY 2019
that incorporating bird-friendly design
measures can reduce bird deaths caused
by collisions by up to 90 per cent.
FMs can influence external factors
a ecting how many birds strike
buildings, such as lighting or strategically
placed potted plants throughout the
building. However, as glass continues
to make up more of the external
building envelope and is a key part of
the problem, it’s clear that FMs should
consider the glazing specified for a
building as a longer-term bird-safety
solution.
A commonly held misconception is
that birds collide with glass because of
poor eyesight. In fact, many birds have
fantastic eyesight. The main reason that
birds fly into glass is that they mistake
sky, trees, and other habitat features
reflected in the glass for reality. Birds will
also sometimes try to fly through glass
to something they see on the other side,
once again causing them to collide with
the glass surface.
Interestingly, this issue isn’t just
restricted to birds. Humans o en only
‘see’ glass by being aware of frames or
the vertical bar between the panes of
glass in a window, which is why we
might collide with unmarked glass
doors if we’re not paying proper
attention.
Aside from the obvious ethical
considerations of ensuring the built
environment is as safe for birds as it
can be, not taking steps to protect
local bird populations can cost
businesses time and money. When a
bird collides with a window, it o en
leaves an unsightly print on the
glass. Not only does this compromise
views from inside the building, it also
necessitates more frequent window
cleaning, increasing maintenance
costs. This is a particular issue for FMs
who look a er high-rise commercial
developments, where higher-placed
windows are more di icult to reach
and clean unless advanced ‘selfcleaning’
glass is specified.
Any birds that fall to the ground
following collisions will need to be
cleared away. Dead birds around a
building are not only unsightly and
distressing to passers-by, but birds
that are not removed can rot quickly,
especially as we approach the warmer
summer months, risking the spread
of disease. Dead birds can also attract
foxes, stray cats and even pests such as
flies and rats, making buildings even
less attractive and more susceptible to
germs. This can in turn lead to increased
expenditure on pest control.
PREVENTING BIRD COLLISIONS
While the field of bird-safe glass is still in
its infancy, the technology is developing
rapidly. A recent architectural bird-safety
success story that made international
headlines was New York’s Javits Centre
– a 760,000 sq exhibition hall made
almost entirely of glass. Previously
responsible for the most bird deaths
each year in New York, the building was
renovated to incorporate dotted glass
across its façade. By creating a visible
‘barrier’ for birds to avoid, this measure
has reduced bird collisions by 95 per
cent.
While dotted glass products such as
this are e ective, they can reduce the
transmission of natural light through
glass and a ect views from inside the
building. However, recent advances in
glazing mean that bird populations can
be safeguarded without compromising
in these areas.
Specialised bird-friendly glass uses
an ultraviolet (UV) enhanced patterned
coating to break up the reflectivity of
the glass surface. Because many birds
see the world through UV rays of varying
wavelengths virtually invisible to the
human eye, the coating creates a visible
barrier for birds to avoid with limited
e ect on the window’s visibility for
humans. Because birds will not attempt
to fly through spaces less than two
inches high and four inches wide, the
patterns applied to bird-safe glass will
be spaced no wider than this.
Bird-safe coatings can be used
alongside other glazing technologies to
o er additional benefits. For example,
advanced glass that o ers both bird-safe
and solar control properties is currently
in development, which will minimise
bird strikes while reflecting away much
of the sun’s heat.
FMs, as key decision-makers in
the maintenance and renovation of
buildings, have an integral role to play
in making the built environment more
bird-friendly. With the right products
and knowledge in place, it’s possible to
ensure that the built environment can
co-exist with the natural world and the
creatures that inhabit it.
FAST FACTS