Glass buildings are a big threat to birds as they are invisible to them because of the transparency and reflectivity of the glass. Birds are attracted to light which is what tall buildings reflect and this ultimately puts birds in danger because of the reflection glass gives, resulting in them flying into buildings’ windows. However, this is where bird-safe architectural glazing on tall buildings can help.
Bird-safe architectural glazing is a specifically designed glass or other transparent building material that helps protect bird populations from injury or death caused by glass building collisions. This kind of architectural glazing was established years ago because studies show that every year, millions of birds suffer from injury or die from flying into glass buildings as the structure either reflects the sky, trees or appears to be see-through.
Common Places to Use Bird-Safe Glazing
There are several places where bird-safe glazing is used within a building structure, including:
- Facades
- Curtain walls
- Glass skywalks
- Atriums
- Glass railings
- Buildings near green spaces
How is Bird-Architectural Glazing Accomplished
Bird-safe architectural glazing is accomplished by utilizing glass with a certain percentage of reflectivity so that birds can see these types of glass, and don’t fly into the structure. Bird-safe architectural glazing also utilizes other methods to help birds avoid striking glass windows, including UV-reflective glass, different patterns, and other visual aids that make the glass more visible to birds.
In the building industry, the patterns are called “bird frits to reference “bird-friendly” glass. “Frit” is a ceramic paint that is baked onto the surface of glass and uses patterns on the glass’ surface to deter birds from hitting into glass buildings. Such frit patterns are usually dots, lines, or grids that are visible to birds but less noticeable to humans. The patterns usually follow what is known as the “2×4 rule” which means the patterns are spaced two inches apart horizontally and four inches apart vertically so that it’s small enough to deter birds from flying into the glass building. If the patterns are close enough to each other, it will give more protection to birds as they fly toward glass buildings.
UV-reflective coatings also make glass buildings more visible to birds without significantly affecting human vision. Whatever bird-safe glazing is applied, it can all be designed to blend seamlessly with architectural aesthetics so that the building still has an attractive appeal.
Above All Store Fronts Uses Bird-Safe Architectural Glazing
Above All Store Fronts prides ourselves on using bird-safe architectural glazing on buildings to ensure the safety of birds.
To learn more about our bird-safe architectural glazing materials or for other questions about architectural glazing, contact us at (631) 627-3535.