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Flight Path Peril
August 31, 2011
Mitigating Beacons for Bird Collisions
By Ryan Eickmeier
Urban skylines embody the dynamism of Canada’s commercial real estate industry. Tall towers maximize density and ensure efficient use of space in an architecturally elegant form. However, they come with negative consequences for other users of airspace, causing bird collisions and fatalities.
Over the years, observers have proffered several different theories for the phenomenon. It has been speculated that smoke obscures birds’ sightlines or alcohol from fermented fruits impairs their ability to navigate. Defective vision, distractions en route or young birds’ inexperience are among other suggested causes of collision.
More recently, in 1989, the avian researcher Dr. Daniel Klem Jr., hypothesized that birds are simply incapable of perceiving clear and reflective glass so they fly into it.
Almost all mid- to high-rise buildings – commercial, institutional and residential – pose a potential hazard for passing migratory birds and non-migratory birds that habituate the area. Real estate owners and industry representatives are now working to counterbalance this risk. That includes considerations for existing buildings and buildings yet to be built.
24-HOUR HAZARD
Both daytime and nighttime conditions trigger bird fatalities. Reflective surfaces and windows are the biggest risks during daylight, while artificial light is the biggest risk at night.
Research shows that collisions and deaths increase in accordance with the amount of light a building emits.
Eliminating interior artificial light is the best preventative strategy when it is dark outside. When lighting is required for security reasons or to accommodate after-hours cleaning staff, it should radiate downwards rather than directly outwards to reduce the intensity of the effect on approaching birds.
Solutions for daytime collisions could be more logistically complicated. Retrofitting the extensive stock of existing reflective glass towers in Canadian cities will be a significant undertaking.
Daytime collisions frequently occur because birds see sky and trees in reflective glass facades. Nevertheless, collisions also happen with buildings that do not have expansive reflective glass exteriors.
The application of window film is one of the less intrusive ways to dissuade birds from venturing near without significantly altering the architectural design. Tests on some buildings have proven effective, but costs and effectiveness vary depending on the surface to which window film is applied. Further product refinement is still needed.
Collisions affect building owners/managers, and also pose health and safety hazards for building tenants and passing pedestrians. This might be from broken and cracked windows, scavenging animals lured by the fallen birds and/or other general property damage.
RESEARCHING & TESTING SOLUTIONS
A wide range of affected stakeholders – private owners, utilities, public companies, pension funds, non-governmental organizations and governments at all levels – are urged to work together, and draw on the expertise of academic specialists and environmental organizations. In particular, provincial and municipal governments have a role to play.
The issue hasn’t gained wide attention in the media or public policy forums and is not yet likely on most lawmakers’ agendas, but the City of Toronto emerged as an early leader in 2010 with the introduction of bird-friendly development guidelines for all new construction. Meanwhile, the commercial real estate industry is committed to proactively pursuing solutions to reduce the impact of existing stock.
The industry is now calling on government to work as a partner with the private sector through the following initiatives:
1) A provincially led public awareness program for building owners, managers and tenants that provides them with low-cost daytime and nighttime tactics to reduce the frequency of bird collisions with commercial buildings.
A public awareness program of this nature would provide stakeholders with clear, standardized approaches that could be implemented at a minimal cost, and would allow even the smallest landlords and building owners to participate without shouldering a large financial burden. These initiatives could be quickly deployed, due to their non-intrusive nature, and should encompass the entire community of building owners and managers to create widespread mitigation efforts across various building types.
2) A provincially led research initiative in collaboration with experts in the field and the private sector that focuses on “cause-and-solution” research and development of the most cost-efficient, feasible and effective products to deter birds from striking commercial buildings.
These voluntarily applied deterrent products would be used in addition to the tactics outlined in the first initiative and would represent a more fixed and permanent solution to the problem.
3) A provincially funded subsidy/incentive program that would help mitigate the cost associated with purchasing and installing bird collision deterrent products for the exterior of existing buildings as well as new construction.
This program would be offered to building owners, managers and landlords on a voluntary basis once an effective and feasible product is developed.
Solutions developed to mitigate bird collisions today must also work tomorrow. Because of the financial investment needed to retrofit the built environment and modify new construction, the solutions need to be practical and long-lasting.
Building owners and managers across Canada recognize the necessity to mitigate their buildings’ impact on migratory birds, just as they recognized, and continue to recognize, the need to be environmentally conscious in all aspects of their operations. It is imperative, however, that a long-term solution be developed, rather than rushing into quick fixes.
A three-pronged program like the one outlined above would allow the industry to take immediate action in preventing bird deaths and would establish government partnerships to both develop a suitable deterrent product and assist those who wish to retrofit their buildings.
Ryan Eickmeier is the Manager, Government Relations & Policy, with the Real Property Association of Canada (REALpac). For more information, he can be reached at reickmeier@realpac.ca, or see the web site at www.realpac.ca.
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