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
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Jun 13, 2017
Hidden risks and costs of using sprinklers as an alternate to 1-2 hour fire resistive glazing
The ASTM E-119 test is the most stringent and most difficult test to pass for all fire rated glazing assemblies.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Apr 14, 2017
Azuria glass from Vitro provides hospital with the desired pop of color
Located in Wilmington, Delaware, Nemours/duPont hospital has undergone a series of expansions since it was founded in the 1940s.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Mar 22, 2017
Fire resistive glazing systems provide architects, owners and envelope consultants assurance of documented performance
It may look like a regular window, but these advanced fire resistive glazing systems are recognized in the code as transparent walls because of its ability to block smoke, flames and significantly limit the passage of dangerous radiant heat.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Mar 16, 2017
Fire resistive transparent walls transform stairwells and exits to inviting, light-filled spaces
To preserve the building’s open design and to extend natural light further in the building, the architects incorporated fire resistive glazing in the areas that required a 2-hour fire rating, particularly in the stairwells and exit passageways.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Feb 15, 2017
Down on the farm. Up on sustainability.
At first glance, it might seem like a barn—but a closer look reveals towering windows, rooftop solar panels and world-class energy efficiency.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Jan 3, 2017
What’s in a name? A lot, actually
Our mission is to produce appealing architectural products that protect people while providing our customers with expert information, economical solutions, and unlimited inspiration.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 12, 2016
101 Top Products: Glass+Glazing
Among the best glass+glazing products included in BD+C's inaugural Top 101 Products report are Guardian Industries SunGuard SNX 51/23, Modernfold’s Acousti-Clear, and SageGlass’s Electrochromic Glass.
Sponsored | | Nov 10, 2016
Fire-rated glazing replaces drywall partition to transform ‘almost unusable’ space into a ‘showstopper’
The space, which the firm hoped to use as a gathering place for employees and clients, had no access to daylight.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Nov 10, 2016
Truly transparent: Fire resistive butt-glazed walls up to 2 hours
SuperLite II-XLM is a fire resistive multi-laminate glass product that meets ASTM E-119/UL 263/NFPA 251 and CAN/ULC S101 up to 2 hours.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Nov 3, 2016
Fire rated switchable glass provides privacy and fire protection at the University of Chicago Medical Center
The University of Chicago Hospital Group reached out to Bill Zientarski of Hi-Performance Glazing Solutions and SAFTI FIRST’s architectural representative in Illinois for a solution that combined vision, privacy and fire protection in one glazed unit.
