Best Practices for a Bird-Friendly Building
(modified from City of Toronto's rating system)
1. Glass Treatment
| Extent of building design that will provide visual cues or barriers to birds and reduce dangers of glass transparency and reflections: | |
|---|---|
| MINIMUM | 95% of all facade areas up to thirty-six (36) feet above grade and above green roof, roof garden or landscaped deck shall have a threat factor of fifteen (15) or less [as defined by the most current American Bird Conservancy's Bird Collision Deterrence rating]; including but not exclusively these high danger areas:
|
| DESIRED | 95% of all facade areas up to thirty-six (36) feet above grade and above green roof, roof garden or landscaped deck shall have a threat factor of fifteen (15) or less; and
At least 60% of all facade areas above the first thirty-six (36) feet shall have a threat factor of fifteen (15) or less [as defined by the most current American Bird Conservancy's Bird Collision Deterrence rating] |
| OPTIMAL/BEST PRACTICE | All building facade areas will have a threat factor of fifteen (15) or less [as defined by the most current American Bird Conservancy's Bird Collision Deterrence rating] |
| Type of glass treatment/design: | |
|---|---|
| MINIMUM | During spring and fall migration implement temporary treatment of transparent and reflective glass with decals, paints, films at a density pattern of two inches or less apart; or provide elements mounted on the building exterior that provide a visual and physical barrier in front of the glass including but not restricted to:
|
| OPTIMAL/BEST PRACTICE | Permanent treatment of transparent glass with UV coatings/films or frosted/fritted patterns using a density pattern of two inches or less apart, or permanent installation of elements mounted on the building exterior that provide a visual and physical barrier in front of the glass including but not restricted to:
|
2. Exterior Lighting
| MINIMUM | During Migration season:
|
| OPTIMAL/BEST PRACTICE | Year-round:
|
3. Building Operations
| Interior greenery: | |
|---|---|
| MINIMUM | All Internal greenery that could be visible from outside shielded from view or removed during spring and fall migration |
| OPTIMAL/BEST PRACTICE | No interior greenery that could be visible from outside of glass treated with density pattern of less than two (2) inches apart or shades drawn to shield view of interior greenery year-round |
| Interior lighting | |
|---|---|
| MINIMUM | Interior lighting sensor controls must be in accordance with the IEC Code. Occupant sensor lighting must be maximimzes. All other interior lighting must have time-switch controls with manual overrides allowing the reduction of lighting load by at least fifty persent. The use of task of lighting to accommodate a limited number of users after hours should be maxamized.
All interior lobby/ground flor lighting (including but not limited to: display lights, signage, video screens) shall be down-sheilded, dimmed, extinguished or blocked from egress to the exterior between 3 am to 7 am during spring and fall migration. Cleaning operations that would require interior lighting shall be scheduled outside the hours of 3 am to 7am during spring and fall migration |
| OPTIMAL/BEST PRACTICE | Year-round application of the above interior lighting requirements |
4. Site Design
| MINIMUM | During Migration season:
a. Drain any pools/foutains that are directly below glass facades b. cover ground level ventilation grates to create a porosity no greater than 3/4" by 3/4" or 1 1/2" x 3/8" |
| OPTIMAL/BEST PRACTICE | No exterior pools, fountains proximal to glass facade areas:, or
No ventilation grates within five (5) feet of glass facades or ventilation grates with a porosity no greater than 3/4" by 3/4" or 1 1/2" by 3/8" |
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors