Enclosed Walkway Protects Employees and Birds with Feather Friendly® Bird Collision Deterrent Technology

Problem

The fourth largest city in North America, Toronto sits on one of the biggest migratory corridors on the planet, making it a prime killer of birds. An extraordinary number of bird collisions with manmade structures occur in and around Toronto. These collisions account for an estimated 1 billion deaths annually or over 10% of the total bird population in North America.  While buildings pose the biggest threat, any exterior glass surface, whether it be clear, tinted or reflective is not a recognizable part of the natural world for birds, and therefore, they simply do not see it. Daytime collisions are generally associated with the reflection on the glass of vegetation or the sky.

The City of Markham experienced a serious problem with bird deaths when they first relocated their municipal building to a newly constructed atrium style structure at 8100 Warden Avenue. Convenience Group Inc. solved this problem by installing an attractive graphic window film solution called Feather Friendly® to the exterior glass surfaces up to tree-top level. Subsequently, the building owners of the complex at 88 McNabb in Markham wanted to add a covered walkway to their parking area. A glass-enclosed walkway design was conceived by the Toronto architectural firm of Page+Steele and was conceptualized in the initial design phase of the building but not installed until after it was constructed. The walkway structure, directly linked to the building was designed as a windbreak as well as a protected walkway to provide safe passage to the parking area.  The prior problem experienced by the city, with birds colliding with building glass, made it clear that adding a glass enclosed walkway along the property perimeter would present a similar difficulty.

Solution

Feather Friendly® Bird Collision Deterrent Technology was applied to each glass panel surface to ensure that birds "see" the glass and don't collide. To be effective, the window film features a marker-pattern with specific spacing, density and contrast. A colorful pattern of blue, yellow and clear films were introduced strategically in alternating panels to create a beautiful overall effect. While providing safe commuter passage and urban wildlife sustainability were the primary concerns, the new walkway has also enhanced the cosmetic appearance of the entire property. The walkway installation took approximately two weeks to install.

Result

The Feather Friendly® installation specialists with Convenience Group reported that during installation, birds were actually colliding with untreated parts of the structure.  Once the installation was fully accomplished the bird strikes stopped immediately. The new connection showcases how a basic structure can have both beauty and function while effectively addressing the bird strike issue. Today the structure provides safe access to the parking areas, acts as a piece of colorful art decoration and delivers exceptional functionality.

Why Choose  Convenience Group and Feather Friendly®:

• All Convenience Group installations are done exclusively by our in-house team of certified installers. The quality of our workmanship and your complete satisfaction is guaranteed.
• We offer quick installation and will not cause construction delays.
• We are able to maintain strict quality control, as all Feather Friendly® products are produced at our production facility in Toronto.
• Feather Friendly^® Bird Collision Deterrent Technology is first-surface applied to glass, making it much more cost effective than fritted solutions.
• We will assist you to integrate  Bird Friendly Guidelines onto your new construction building plan, as well as guide you through the approval process. We also provide guidance on the treatment of priority areas when retrofitting.
• Feather Friendly® Bird Collision Deterrent Technology is available in custom patterns and can be manufactured to your design specifications.

About Convenience Group

CGI was the first to develop and apply effective bird collision deterrent technology. We were also called upon to act as a best-practice advisor to the City of Toronto during the development of the Green Standard Guidelines. With over 40 years’ experience, we have provided window film solutions to a wide range of commercial customers. We have also completed more than 25 high-profile Feather Friendly® installations. Convenience Group specializes in large-scale project management and has worked with many leading Property Developers, Engineers, Architects, Glass Specialists, Contractors and Designers.  For more information about protecting the bird population visit www.featherfriendly.org. To learn more about Convenience Group applications visit www.conveniencegroup.com