Anti-collision glazing | Birds to be saved by the thousands

The change in appearance of the Place du Portage 3 federal complex in Gatineau will make a difference of life and death for thousands of birds.

This Mecca of the Canadian public service is currently undergoing a facelift which will last until 2027. Its large concrete facades and strips of windows, typical of the modernism of the turn of the 1970s, will disappear in favor of elegant surfaces. windows displaying an architectural motif in frosted glass.

This pattern composed of vertical lines is inspired by the Chaudière Falls located very close to the site, explains Mélanie Dupuis, associated architect at the Montreal firm Provencher Roy, which is leading this project with the firm Perkins & Will, based in Ottawa.

The result promises to be more aesthetic, but above all less dangerous for the sedentary birds of the Ottawa River and for the migratory species that pass near the building. The threat of collision will now be clear before them.

“A bird is incapable of perceiving a transparent obstacle in front of it. In his eyes, he has free reign. It will hit reflective glass surfaces head-on, which is often fatal for it,” indicates Guillaume Martel, also an associate architect at Provencher Roy. “So we had to come up with stratagems to warn the birds of the danger. »

The dangers are indeed very real. According to a federal estimate, up to 42 million birds die in Canada each year after a collision with a building.

Very often, they die instantly or suffer serious injury. At best, they fall to the ground, dazed and vulnerable to predators.

In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 1 billion birds suffer the same fate, especially along migratory routes, such as Chicago or New York.

According to the organization FLAP Canada, dedicated to preventing these collisions, bird populations have declined by 3 billion in 50 years in North America. This significant drop would pose a threat to biodiversity, plant pollination and pest control.

A clearer glass…and more dangerous

What happened to make buildings become such traps for the winged population? The main cause would be technological advancement in the manufacture of glazing, answers in an article in Guardian published last December by New York architect Deborah Laurel, herself devastated after learning that one of her projects had caused a significant increase in bird mortality on Staten Island.

Before the 1960s, the majority of large panes of glass used in buildings contained impurities and imperfections that obstructed light.

But the advent of new manufacturing methods has made it possible to create perfectly smooth, clear and uniform windows.

“And above all more reflective”, underlines M^me Laurel in this same article.

This new type of glazing captured the imagination of architects who, in the second half of the 20th century, multiplied^e century, the large glass and steel buildings that reflect each other in today’s metropolises, she adds.

Result: birds are now confused by this impeccable transparency of windows, or by the reflection of the sky, the vegetation surrounding the buildings, or the points of light created by exterior or interior lighting.

Anti-collision windows

How can we reduce this threat to birds without reducing the optical qualities of glass?

Manufacturers have answered this question by offering treatments integrated into the glass, forming patterns that are often very discreet to our eye, but easily perceptible to birds.

There is even a Canadian standard, suggested and not imposed: a grid of points spaced 50 mm apart on all glass surfaces located up to a height of 16 meters which allows for an effective reduction in collisions.

For Place du Portage 3, the architects implemented a whole bouquet of strategies: the reflective glass surfaces will above all be decorated with large vertical translucent bands to attenuate the reflections of the river, trees and sky. “They have been designed so as not to alter the visual comfort of indoor users, but they will be visible to birds,” adds Mélanie Dupuis.

That’s not all. Another motif, this one inspired by the Northern Lights, was inserted into the facade of the footbridge which overlooks Maisonneuve Boulevard to reduce the dazzling of motorists by the sun’s rays. At nightfall, it will be illuminated by soft colors which will have no effect on the migration of birds according to the different times of the year.

Finally, general interior lighting will also be turned off as early as possible in the evening; firstly for reasons of energy saving, but also not to attract birds. “It’s an issue that was considered seriously,” says Guillaume Martel.

Standards in Toronto and Ottawa, but not in Montreal

For several years, the municipality of Toronto has required the installation of low-reflective and opaque windows, or decorated with anti-collision patterns, in all new buildings with more than four dwellings. This standard applies to the first 16 meters above the ground.

This regulation was adopted after the Cadillac Fairview company was sued for the deaths of hundreds of migratory birds which had collided with one of its buildings. An agreement came about after the company had a film installed on its windows to alert the birds.

Taking an example from the Ontario metropolis, the National Capital Commission in Ottawa has included a series of safety measures for birds in its architectural standards, updated in March 2023.

For its part, the City of Montreal has not provided any similar guidelines. A study conducted with the Regroupement QuébecOiseaux a few years ago concluded that this was not necessary since the problem would be marginal compared to the situation in Toronto.

“Two hypotheses would make it possible to differentiate the cases of Montreal and Toronto: geography and topography. On the one hand, the Great Lakes create a funnel directing birds toward downtown Toronto. On the other hand, Mount Royal would have an effect on the flight altitude of birds in Montreal,” indicated the municipal administration in an email exchange.

Nevertheless, “several boroughs in the city of Montreal regulate the appearance of buildings through their zoning regulations in order, in particular, to limit the use of glass with a high reflection rate,” it was specified.

The danger of house windows

Only 1% of fatal collisions occur against tall buildings, says the organization QuébecOiseaux. Most of these collisions occur against residential windows, at heights between ground level and treetops.

It is for this reason that its specialists propose a series of measures to home owners to reduce the risks:

• Cover the window with patterns all over the surface and on the outside.
• Install exterior screens, solar shades or shutters.
• Use collision prevention products, such as adhesive tape or dots, oil-based paint markers, etc.
• For new windows, choose bird-safe patterned glass or materials designed for bird safety.
• Reposition feeders within one meter of windows to reduce the risk of birds running into them at high speed if fleeing a predator.

Check out the FLAP Canada website for a variety of options.