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.
