One of the underestimated aspects of modern architecture is the danger that glass facades pose to birds. Despite the undeniable advantages of glass in architecture, such as natural daylight, aesthetic freedom, and a connection to nature, it presents a significant risk to our feathered friends.

Bird collisions with glass often occur because birds either cannot distinguish transparent elements from the air or misinterpret reflections of trees and sky in the glass. Although these collisions happen unintentionally, they can have devastating consequences for the birds, including injury or death.

With increasing urbanization, climate change, and pressure on bird ecosystems, the need to take measures to prevent collisions has grown. The flat glass industry has proactively developed solutions to reduce bird collisions and preserve biodiversity. These so-called “bird-friendly products” mark the glass so that it is more visible or reflective to birds without compromising comfort and energy benefits for building users. These include SEEN Elements of SEEN Group.

Glass for Europe, the trade association for the European flat glass sector, also reports on this. Glass for Europe brings together multinational companies and thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe to represent the entire value chain for construction glass. Members include leading flat glass manufacturers like AGC Glass Europe, Guardian, NSG Group, Saint-Gobain, and Şişecam. Together with national partners representing numerous glass processors and transformers throughout Europe, Glass for Europe works to promote the interests of the industry and develop innovative solutions. Here you can find the original article “Designing bird-friendly buildings”.

Why do birds collide with glass?

Birds navigate visually. Transparent and reflective glass surfaces are therefore hardly recognizable to them. Without visible barriers or strong contrasts in brightness, birds do not perceive glass as a solid object and mistake it for air. This is particularly problematic during migration, when birds travel long distances and are unfamiliar with their surroundings.

The scale of the problem is difficult to assess, but estimates suggest that several million birds die each year in Europe due to collisions with glass. In the USA, the estimated number ranges from 365 million to one billion birds per year. Not all collisions are fatal, but they can lead to severe injuries.

How can this problem be addressed?

In the EU, there are varying levels of attention and requirements regarding bird collisions. In Germany, for example, the Federal Nature Conservation Act demands special consideration for the protection of animals and biodiversity, but there are no official standards or legal thresholds. It is the responsibility of conservation authorities to assess the risk before constructing new buildings.

Despite the lack of coherent laws, there is a generally accepted testing method in Europe for bird-friendly glass solutions. The Biological Station Hohenau-Ringelsdorf in Austria conducts tests to evaluate the effectiveness of markings on glass. These tests show whether birds recognize marked glass as an obstacle and take evasive action.

To tackle the problem, flat glass manufacturers have developed high-performance markings through research and development that are visible to birds without compromising the thermal and solar control properties of the glass. These markings, whether stripes, dots, or other shapes, must have a certain minimum size and cover the entire glass surface. This allows birds to recognize them from a distance and react in time.

There are various types of glass that can be equipped with these markings:

• Patterned glass: Glass with specific patterns or textures.
• Coated glass: Glass with a patterned coating that disrupts reflections.
• Laminated glass: Glass with a special PVB layer.
• Fritted glass: Glass with a ceramic or enamel coating.

SEEN Elements

SEEN Elements are the most innovative solution for making glass visible to birds. With a coverage of less than 1%, they offer the best ratio of effectiveness to covered area. Additionally, they are not applied to the outside of the glass pane in new construction projects, protecting them from weather and mechanical stress. This applies both as a variant in laminated safety glass and in the space between panes, ensuring a consistently high level of effectiveness throughout the lifespan of the glazing.

The Biological Station Hohenau-Ringelsdorf has tested the SEEN Elements in various grids and rated them as highly effective. Here you can find a detailed product overview with individual test results.

These solutions can be used in private or commercial buildings, both in new construction and when retrofitting existing buildings. The use of bird-friendly glass is often associated with sustainable building practices and can even help earn certification points for eco-friendly buildings.

The SEEN Group is pleased to announce a pivotal recognition in the industry: the attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Certification. This significant badge reaffirms the management system of our company.

What is the ISO 9001:2015 Certification?

An ISO 9001:2015 Certification confirms that a company not only adheres to the highest standards for quality and management but also ensures continuous monitoring and improvement of its business processes. The accreditation guarantees that these standards and practices are independently audited and recognized as world-leading.

Why is this certification important?

In numerous countries, this certification is valued and is a definitive sign of an outstanding management system. The accreditation accompanying this certification is highly recognized in countries like the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and many EU countries. Companies that achieve this award ensure that their practices and processes meet the highest global standards.

SEEN Elements – For More Sustainability in Construction

Our company’s focus is on the development of SEEN Elements. They represent a groundbreaking measure against bird strikes on glass panes, such as glass facades on buildings, patio doors, or noise barriers. Bird strikes are a widespread problem, especially in areas where birds’ natural surroundings are reflected in building glass panes. The efficacy of SEEN Elements in various grids was already tested at the Biological Station Hohenau-Ringelsdorf between 2019 and 2022. These tests, conducted following the WIN and NPW procedures, confirmed the highly effective results concerning bird protection. SEEN Elements are designed both for implementation during new construction and for subsequent attachment.

Recognition by LRQA

The ISO 9001:2015 Certification is the latest triumph in the continuous development of the SEEN Group and its products. Thus, not only tests but now also a globally recognized organization attest to the quality and reliability of our work. We are proud that our efforts are now recognized by such a renowned organization.

Glass has been gaining importance as a building material in modern architecture for years. It is important to build transparent, light-filled and generous. For birds, these glass surfaces are often a deadly trap. NABU estimates that every year in Germany about 100 million birds are killed by collisions with panes of glass.

This is because birds do not recognise them as obstacles, but only see the reflections of the surroundings, which simulate the sky or vegetation. Thus, glazing repeatedly blocks an apparently free flight path, such as glazed patio doors or façades, windows around corners or sunrooms.

This was also recognized by the NABU nature conservation officer in Eichstetten. In recent years, the glass pavilion of the railway station has repeatedly become a deadly danger for birds. To protect the birds, the municipality of Eichstetten decided to apply the SEEN Elements (see PDF at the end of the article).

SEEN Elements

The 9mm dots, which are placed at a distance of 90mm from each other, can not only be used in new glass surfaces, but also on existing ones. In contrast to new glass elements of a building, where the SEEN Elements are placed between the panes, they are applied to the surface of existing glass facades afterwards. In both applications, the grid covers less than 1% of the entire glass surface. In addition, the metallic front and the light-absorbing, neutral back of the SEEN Elements reduce the interference for the human eye to a minimum. This preserves the architectural effect of glazing. Thanks to the flexible manufacturing process, the bird protection grid can be easily combined with denser privacy or thermal protection grids or individual designs.

Scientifically tested

The SEEN Elements were subjected to extensive scientific testing in 2019 and 2020. In the flight channel of the Biological Station Hohenau-Ringelsdorf in Austria, the extent to which birds recognise the marked discs and turn away was tested. “Our product has proven to be highly effective, meaning that more than 90% of the birds recognise the pane as an obstacle. We are pleased that we can make a real contribution to species protection!” – says Rouven Seidler, Managing Director of SEEN AG.

Simple application

Due to the simple application, the retrofitting of existing panes is also possible for private individuals. In contrast to many other products, there is no need for full-surface, bubble-free bonding of the glass surface. The SEEN Elements are applied by means of handy carrier films. After the carrier film has been removed, only the individual 9mm dots remain. They are suitable for glazed windows and doors, sunrooms or other floor-to-ceiling windows. Glass façades, glazed entrance areas, as well as light and inner courtyards can also be effectively protected against bird strike.

The protection of birds is becoming more and more important. While buildings are getting bigger and brighter, the danger of bird strikes on glass panes is growing. The SEEN Elements offer an effective and at the same time creative possibility to counteract this.

The cooperation between SEEN AG and Eastman will support glass processors, facade designers, and architects in making a valuable contribution to bird protection in the construction industry. This, without neglecting the use of design glass. In addition, both companies will be able to consolidate and expand their market position at the same time.

In setting up production, SEEN AG will receive technical support from Eastman, which guarantees one hundred percent correct handling of the PVB film. There is also mutual support in the long-term tests of the glass to be used and the associated approvals. SEEN AG is pleased to announce this cooperation.

The SEEN Elements

The SEEN Elements provide a unique new way to modify glass. The elements, which are metallically coated on one or both sides, are freely selectable in shape, size, color, and placement. Laminating foils or transparent carrier foils are used for the application.

Further information about bird protection on glass

Glass particularly increases the risk of bird strike. Transparency is a particular problem when a pane of glass is in an apparently free flight path. This happens, for example, on glazing over corners. The reflection in the glass front can also confuse birds if it reflects the surrounding nature.

Studies from the United States have shown that there are estimated two bird strikes per family home per year. Thus, significantly more birds die from larger buildings. The collision with the glass surface is at the top of the list of causes for the death of native species and migratory birds.

In previous tests, the SEEN Elements proved to be extremely effective and at the same time beneficial. A minimum coverage of less than one percent of the glass surface already ensures a classification as highly effective bird protection. This is also a product that does not have to be positioned on level 1 and therefore leaves the glass surface untouched and is protected in the composite. Here you can find the complete test report of the test trials according to the new WIN test method.

The Zak World of Façades conference series was launched in 2012. Since then it has developed into a globally recognized event that brings together new concepts, best practices, and current trends in the building envelope segment in one place. It has already hosted 75 events in 25 countries. Seven additional countries are planned for 2020. SEEN AG is taking part as well!

Last year we already participated in the Zak World of Façades as exhibitors in Berlin, London and Stockholm. Due to the success of the event, we also planned to be present in various cities this year.

SEEN AG at the Zak World of Façades

Due to the current situation, however, the festival has been moved to digital space in 2020: More than 4,000 participants from all over the world will register on a single virtual platform and exchange information with each other. New trends and technologies are not to be missed. For almost three months, keynote presentations, virtual workshops, panel discussions, and open tête-à-tête chats will be available.

From 01. to 31. October we will present our products and exciting projects. On our company profile, you will find comprehensive information about the products of SEEN AG. Our focus is on our SEEN Elements, thin stones, acrylic glass, and metallic coatings.

We are looking forward to old acquaintances, new contacts, and many impressions!

In the field of metal coatings and 3D printing, SEEN AG is now cooperating with BASF Forward AM. Our partner develops the appropriate material for 3D printing and provides different designs. The metal coatings are available in 24K gold, aluminum, or ITO (indium tin oxide).

Application

3D printing of SEEN AG is mainly used in lightweight construction. We support especially when production is very cost-intensive due to small quantities or many different shapes made of solid metal. Thanks to 3D printing, we are able to combine many small elements into one larger one without any problems. The coating process of SEEN AG ensures an even and homogeneous metallic coating.

Used coatings

Even the 24K gold and aluminum are applied 100% homogeneously to the plastic 3D print. While these two metals are used more for architectural aesthetics, the mixed oxide ITO has many other advantages. Indium tin oxide is a semiconducting, translucent, and almost transparent material. For example, it is also used for touch screens and thin-film solar cells. But ITO also finds its place in architecture, especially for heated windows.

BASF Forward AM

BASF Forward AM is part of BASF SE and offers solutions in 3D printing along the entire value chain of additive manufacturing. The company is characterized on the one hand by many years of experience and on the other hand by its exceptional innovative spirit.

We are pleased about the new cooperation in the field of 3D printing and metal coatings. With Additive Manufacturing we open new doors to many new possibilities in industrial design, architecture, and interior design.