While glass is one of the most economical, versatile and beautiful building materials, collisions with glass remain a major cause of bird mortality in North America. This has led to a surge in legislation for bird-safe building materials in North America and beyond.
Last year, the Bird-Safe Buildings Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Meanwhile, the National Glass Association (NGA) leads a bird-safe glazings advocacy effort. Some municipalities, such as New York City, even require bird-safe glass on certain building types.
Saving Birds Lives While Saving Energy
Industry standards are emerging in relation to bird-friendly glass. Glasses today are often evaluated against the 2″ x 4″ rule, based on the idea that birds will not attempt to fly into spaces they detect as being less than 2 inches high and 4 inches wide. Glasses can be assigned “threat factors,” which measures the potential risks a glass can pose to bird populations.
In coming years, bird-safe glass is expected to gain in preference and find its way into more local building codes and architect demand is expected to accelerate.
Meanwhile, increasingly stringent energy codes and a global drive for sustainability demand excellent energy performance in glass products.
A Sustainable, Bird-Safe Solution
The partnership between Walker Glass and Vitro provides a bird-safe glazing solution while saving energy. AviProtek® E bird-safe low-e glass helps architects and building owners satisfy new regulations for bird-friendly building design, achieve their environmental goals, earn LEED® credits and meet solar-performance targets.
AviProtek® E glass has received numerous accolades over the years and is the only bird-safe glass product available with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). This allows architects to secure an additional LEED point for their projects using Pilot Credit 55 related to bird deterrence. It also meets California building legislation requirement (AB262) enacted in 2020. AviProtek® E also has a Health Product Declaration (HPD), which contributes to LEED points in the Materials & Resources (MR) Category.
An Alternative to Ceramic Frit
While ceramic frit is commonly used to satisfy bird-safe glass requirements, acid-etched visual markers — such as those used in AviProtek® E bird-friendly glass — are generally more effective when optimized for energy efficiency. By placing acid-etched visual markers on the first surface of an insulating glass unit (IGU), which is preferred to prevent bird collisions, a solar control, low-e coating can be applied to the second surface—which is ideal for optimizing performance.
Ceramic frit is not optimized for the first surface of IGUs. When ceramic frit is placed on the first surface, the low-e coating must be placed on the third surface, potentially compromising energy performance.
To learn more about bird-friendly glass from Vitro Architectural Glass and Walker Glass, visit www.vitroglazings.com/birds.
Related Stories
Brick and Masonry | Oct 7, 2024
A journey through masonry reclad litigation
This blog post by Walter P Moore's Mallory Buckley, RRO, PE, BECxP + CxA+BE, and Bob Hancock, MBA, JD, of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC, explains the importance of documentation, correspondence between parties, and supporting the claims for a Plaintiff-party, while facilitating continuous use of the facility, on construction litigation projects.
Building Materials | Aug 19, 2024
Federal 'buy clean' construction materials label program unveiled
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a plan for implementing a new label program to boost American production of more climate-friendly construction materials and products. The label program will prioritize steel, glass, asphalt and concrete.
Glass and Glazing | Aug 16, 2024
The next generation of thermal glazing: How improving U-value can yield energy savings and reduce carbon emissions
The standards for energy-efficient construction and design have been raised. Due to the development of advanced low-e coatings for the interior surface and vacuum insulating technologies, architects now have more choices to improve U-values wherever enhanced thermal performance is needed to create eco-friendly spaces. These options can double or even triple thermal performance, resulting in annual energy savings and a positive return on carbon.
Sustainability | Aug 14, 2024
World’s first TRUE Zero Waste for Construction-certified public project delivered in Calif.
The Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif., is the world’s first public project to achieve the zero-waste-focused TRUE Gold certification for construction. The TRUE Certification for Construction program, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), recognizes projects that achieve exceptional levels of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.
Products and Materials | Jul 31, 2024
Top building products for July 2024
BD+C Editors break down July's top 15 building products, from Façades by Design to Schweiss Doors's Strap Latch bifold door.
Smart Buildings | Jul 25, 2024
A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun
Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.
Great Solutions | Jul 23, 2024
41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.
Building Technology | Jun 18, 2024
Could ‘smart’ building facades heat and cool buildings?
A promising research project looks at the possibilities for thermoelectric systems to thermally condition buildings, writes Mahsa Farid Mohajer, Sustainable Building Analyst with Stantec.
Concrete Technology | Jun 17, 2024
MIT researchers are working on a way to use concrete as an electric battery
Researchers at MIT have developed a concrete mixture that can store electrical energy. The researchers say the mixture of water, cement, and carbon black could be used for building foundations and street paving.
Construction Costs | May 31, 2024
Despite challenges, 2024 construction material prices continue to stabilize
Gordian’s Q2 2024 Quarterly Construction Cost Insights Report indicates that supply chain issues notwithstanding, many commodities are exhibiting price normalization.