American Bird Conservancy (ABC), working with Washington College in Maryland, says it has doubled its capacity to test and rate glass and other materials for their ability to deter bird collisions. “The move will help ABC meet high demand for testing from glass manufacturers—a vital component of the organization’s work to reduce the threat of window collisions for birds,” according to a news release.
A glass testing tunnel at Washington College’s Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory in Chestertown, Maryland began operations last fall. The new tunnel is one of just two facilities in North America that can test glass and issue a “bird-friendly” rating, called a Material Threat Factor.
This rating system makes it easier for governments to enact bird-friendly policies and for architects to design buildings that are safer for birds. Windows are among the deadliest threats that migratory birds meet on their journeys, killing up to a billion in the U.S. each year.
Glass can be made safer for birds by adding visible markers that birds can see. “The challenge is finding a balance between human aesthetic preferences and birds’ need for a visual hint that glass is solid—a challenge made more difficult because humans’ forward vision is superior to that of most birds,” ABC says. “The good news is that most bird-friendly patterns are barely noticeable to people.”
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jul 16, 2015
Berkeley, Calif., adopts balcony inspection program following deadly collapse
Apartment building balconies will be subject to inspections every three years under new regulations adopted following a deadly collapse.
Codes and Standards | Jul 16, 2015
Oregon to spend $300 million for seismic updates on public buildings
A survey found that more than 1,000 Oregon school buildings face a high risk of collapse during earthquakes.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
Maryland’s Prince George County turns to P3s to build green infrastructure
Over the next 10 years, the county must convert 15,000 acres of watertight surfaces—almost 5% of the county's total area—into surfaces that absorb or treat rainwater.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
Philadelphia considers more incentives for green building
Developers could be allowed additional height, floor area on projects that meet benchmarks.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
LEED building at Duke University may be retrofitted to prevent bird deaths
More birds die from colliding with buildings at Duke than on any other campus in a 45-school survey conducted by Augustana College. Duke is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a bird migration route.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2015
Balcony collapse in Berkeley, Calif., prompts an examination of codes
Dry rot and too much weight appear to be the causes of a fatal accident at an eight-year-old building in Berkeley, Calif.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
Guides to wood construction in high wind areas updated
The guides establish prescriptive, wind-resistive structural requirements for wood-frame buildings of different sizes and shapes.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
New document addresses school safety and security
In an effort to balance security and fire safety features within codes, standards and planning, NFPA hosted a two-day workshop, “School Safety, Codes and Security”, last December. The findings are now available in an NFPA report.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
Two myths regarding NFPA 101 Life Safety Code debunked
NFPA life safety engineer Ron Coté settles the debate over second egress doors and exit signs.
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2015
How to prevent corrosion in sprinkler system piping
The technical committees responsible for NFPA 13, Installation of Sprinkler Systems, have been looking at ways to eliminate or reduce corrosion in sprinkler systems for several revision cycles.
