Environmental Building NewsTM The Leading Newsletter on Environmentally Responsible Design & Construction

A Publication of BuildingGreen, Inc. www.BuildingGreen.com Volume 14, Number 8 · August 2005

Design for the Birds In This Issue

Protecting Birds from the Hazards of Glass Feature Article ...... 1 HERE IS UNBELIEVABLE harvested wood, and avoid ozone-depleting • Design for the Birds: Protecting Birds from carnage taking place,” says Daniel refrigerants in the hopes that our actions the Hazards of Glass T Klem Jr., Ph.D., a biology professor at will help move humanity toward a sustain- Pennsylvania’s Muhlenberg College and the able relationship with other species. Yet, for What’s Happening ...... 2 world’s foremost expert on the phenomenon the most part, we have ignored one of the • Scottish Sustainable Design of birds colliding with buildings. “If you take most direct threats our buildings pose to the Accreditation Based on the number of birds killed from the Exxon natural world. Because birds collide with Achievement Valdez oil spill and compare it to my lowest buildings as a result of design decisions, • AIA Launches Sustainable estimate of the number of birds killed fl ying the design community possesses a unique Design Assessment Team Program into windows,” says Klem, “it would take 333 capability to solve the problem. Valdezes every year to equal that number. • Newsbriefs The Exxon Valdez is nothing compared to The Problem Awards & the animals dying at glass.” Although windows have always posed a Competitions ...... 6 Those of us engaged in the design and threat to birds, the severity of the colli- • RAIC Announces 2005 construction of buildings are increasingly sion problem has grown signifi cantly in Awards of Excellence aware of the intimacy between the built recent decades. Beyond the ever-increasing Then & Now: environment and the natural world. And, size and number of buildings, glass itself 1995-2005 ...... 7 has become a far more popular building through our adoption of a philosophy of • Sulfur Lighting No Longer sustainability and our implementation of material. Before World War II, the size on Track green design principles, we are beginning of windows was limited by technology to assume responsibility for the negative and cost. With the adoption of fl oat-glass Product News & Reviews ...... 8 consequences of that bond. We limit en- manufacturing, however, glazing panels be- ergy consumption, incorporate sustainably came stronger and cheaper, and the design • Simulated Carpet Samples aesthetic began to favor Save Resources large expanses of glass. • Solarwall Now Also “Here you have a prod- Available as InSpire uct that’s so universally From the Library ...... 15 enjoyed and prolifi cally • Porous Pavements used that there are very few human structures Calendar ...... 16 that don’t have a piece of glass in them,” says Klem. “The situation applies anywhere on Earth to Quote of the month: any type of building with a window,” says Randi “Mirrored glass is to Doeker, self-described songbirds what DDT evangelist for bird-safe is to birds of prey.” buildings and found- Michael Mesure, executive 3M Canada donated this window fi lm to the Earth Rangers Centre in ing director of the Birds director of the Fatal Light Woodbridge, Ontario. Designed by architectural consultant John Butner, and Buildings Forum. Awareness Program. the tree-patterned fi lm was applied to more than 100 second-fl oor windows “Birds are everywhere.” (page 10) specifi cally to prevent bird collisions. Photo: Fatal Light Awareness Program (continued on p. 10) What’s Happening

Environmental Building News Executive Editor · Alex Wilson Editor · Nadav Malin What’s Happening Managing Editor · Jessica Boehland Associate Editor · Mark Piepkorn Editorial Intern · Rachel Auerbach Scottish Sustainable Design applications and verify the claims Art Director · Julia Jandrisits made about the projects—verifi cation Marketing Director · Susan Way Accreditation Based on can include calls to clients and even Outreach Director · Jerelyn Wilson Director of Online Services · Jim Newman Achievement project visits. Based on the results Webmaster · Ethan Goldman The Accreditation in Sustainable of the review, an architect can be GreenSpec Manager · Angela Battisto accredited at one of four levels. The Financial Manager · Willie Marquart Building Design program from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in level achieved depends on the num- Circulation Department ber of criteria that were addressed Charlotte Snyder, Mgr. · Martha Swanson Scotland (RIAS) purports to be the and the size and complexity of the Advisory Board world’s fi rst evidence-based accredi- John Abrams, Chilmark, MA tation program for green building projects. Level D requires the imple- Bob Berkebile, FAIA, Kansas City, MO practitioners. The goal of the pro- mentation of at least three criteria John Boecker, AIA, Harrisburg, PA on a residential-scale project, while Terry Brennan, Rome, NY gram is “to make clients, policy mak- Bill Browning, Hon. AIA, Rappahannock, VA ers, and the profession recognize the Level A requires the fulfi llment of all Nancy Clanton, P.E., Boulder, CO six criteria in three projects that are Raymond Cole, Ph.D., Vancouver, BC clear distinction between aspiration 2 2 David Eisenberg, Tucson, AZ and delivery in sustainable design,” at least 30,000 ft (3,000 m ) in size. Harry Gordon, FAIA, Washington, DC John L. Knott, Jr., Dewees Island, SC says program creator Malcolm Lewis, Ph.D., P.E., Irvine, CA Sandy Halliday of Gail Lindsey, FAIA, Raleigh, NC Gaia Research. Hal- Joseph Lstiburek, P.E., Westford, MA Sandra Mendler, AIA, San Francisco, CA liday aims to debunk Greg Norris, Ph.D., N. Berwick, ME the idea that “simply Russell Perry, AIA, Charlottesville, VA Peter Pfeiffer, FAIA, Austin, TX saying you can do Bill Reed, AIA, Arlington, MA ‘sustainable design,’ Jonathan Rose, Katonah, NY or doing a course for Marc Rosenbaum, P.E., Meriden, NH Michael Totten, Washington, DC two hours, two days, Gail Vittori, Austin, TX or two years, makes

ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING NEWS (ISSN 1062- someone competent 3957) is published monthly by BuildingGreen, Inc. to really deliver.” EBN does not accept advertising. Subscriptions are $99/year, $199 for companies with 25 or more em- Candidates for ac- ployees. Outside North America add $30. Periodicals creditation through Part of a 16-unit housing project in Shettleston, Scotland, that postage paid at Brattleboro, Vt. and at additional this program submit mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes was designed by John Gilbert and included in his application to Environmental Building News, 122 Birge St., Ste 30, an application that for sustainable design accreditation. The complex features Brattleboro, VT 05301. includes details on active and passive solar heating and ground-source heat pumps, Copyright © 2005, BuildingGreen, Inc. All rights up to three recent among other measures. Photo: John Gilbert Architects reserved. No material in this newsletter may be photocopied, electronically transmitted, or otherwise projects. reproduced by any means without written permission from the Publisher. However, license to photocopy The RIAS program is based on All projects submitted must have items for internal use or by institutions of higher educ- tion as part of collective works is granted, provided achievement in six areas: been completed at least one year that the appropriate fee is paid directly to Copyright 1. Designing for effective resource prior to the application, but none Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, can go back longer than ten years. At MA 01923, USA; 978-750-8400. use any of the four levels, a star rating is Disclaimer 2. Minimizing pollution available for special innovation and Every effort has been made to ensure that the infor- mation presented in EBN is accurate and that design 3. Supporting communities research. and construction details meet generally accepted standards. However, the information presented in 4. Promoting biodiversity This accreditation program was de- EBN, by itself, should not be relied on for fi nal design, veloped for RIAS by Gaia Research engineering, or building decisions. New or unusual 5. Creating healthy environments details should be discussed with building offi cials, of Edinburgh, as an extension of architects, and/or engineers. 6. Managing the build process a professional development course they created. It was funded by the Editorial & Subscription Offi ce Candidates can indicate which of 122 Birge St., Suite 30, Brattleboro, VT 05301 Ecology Building Society and the these criteria they have successful- 802-257-7300 · 802-257-7304 (fax) Scottish Department of Trade and In- [email protected] · www.BuildingGreen.com ly implemented in their projects. dustry and had support and endorse- Designated assessors review the Printed on New Leaf Opaque paper, 100% post-consumer ments from a range of other organiza-

2 Environmental Building News · August 2005 What’s Happening

In spite of these concerns, the AIA Launches Sustainable program overall is quite successful, according to Halliday. “The accred- Design Assessment Team ited designers are all promoting their Program awards,” she reports, adding that The American Institute of Architects “clients in Scotland have been using (AIA) Center for Communities by it as a criterion for shortlisting.” John Design, with support from the AIA Gilbert of John Gilbert Architects in Committee on the Environment, has Glasgow was accredited at Level B formally launched the Sustainable in the pilot program. “We felt that Design Assessment Team (SDAT) the aims of the accreditation sys- Photo: John Gilbert Architects program, a community-assistance Leitch Street, an 87-unit housing complex tem matched our own aims, so it program focused on sustainability. designed by John Gilbert, includes an onsite seemed to be a natural way to go,” “The SDAT program is based on the combined heat and power plant. Gilbert says, adding: “We expect to AIA’s goal of helping communities have more of our staff applying for create a sustainable relationship be- accreditation in the future.” While tions. The program was modeled on a tween humans, the natural environ- Gilbert hasn’t yet seen any clients similar RIAS program for “conserva- ment, and place,” according to AIA. select his fi rm based on the accred- tion architecture,” better known in “By achieving balance between cul- itation, he expects that’s coming. North America as historic preser- tural, environmental, and economic “It has happened in conservation, so vation. “The Conservation Scheme systems, communities can sustain I expect it will eventually catch on,” acknowledges peer review, practi- a place as a stage for human settle- he predicts. – NM cal experience, and an appropriate ment.” The fi rst fi ve SDAT communi- philosophical approach,” Halliday For more information: ties for 2005, the program’s inaugural reports. After pilot testing in 2004, the year, are Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; program was formally launched in Royal Incorporation of Pittsfi eld and Northampton, Massa- Architects in Scotland January 2005. With their application, Edinburgh, Scotland chusetts; Cache County, Utah; and candidates pay a fee of £150 (about +131 229 7545, +131 228 2188 (fax) Forest City, North Carolina. Three $260 dollars at current conversion [email protected] more communities are expected to rates) plus tax for the accreditation. www.rias.org.uk/content/default. be announced shortly. Accreditation must be renewed every asp?page=s3_9 As part of the SDAT program, a team fi ve years to remain valid. Sandy Halliday of volunteers, including architects, ur- Gaia Research The pilot program revealed some Edinburgh, Scotland ban designers, planners, hydrologists, interesting issues, according to Hal- [email protected] economists, attorneys, and others, liday. For example, few applicants www.gaiagroup.org help selected communities envision appeared to be using state-of-the-art modeling tools or rating systems, so there was a dearth of measurable performance indicators in the project profi les. In addition, most applicants were from small offi ces that special- ize in green design, as opposed to mainstream fi rms (even though the larger fi rms also claim to be deliv- ering sustainable projects). Finally, the fact that the program accredits individuals, as opposed to fi rms or design teams, proved problematic, especially given its interest in pro- moting interdisciplinary teamwork. The applications showed little evi- dence of such teamwork, Halliday re- ports, and there were concerns about some applicants trying to take credit for the work of others—their juniors, Aerial view of Cache Valley, Utah, site of the fi rst Sustainable Design Assistance their seniors, even past employees. Team project. Photo: Sustainable Design Assessment Team

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 3 What’s Happening

a sustainable future and develop a construction will be sponsored by the September 22, 2005. For details, visit framework for making those visions State of Nevada achieve LEED Silver www.nyserda.org and search for reality. AIA will provide $20,000 to- certifi cation, or equivalent. The law PON 937. ward the assessment of each selected also provides some tax abatement for community, in addition to staff and private-sector buildings that achieve logistical support. Selected com- LEED Silver or higher. It also requires Southface Breaks Ground on Eco munities are expected to match that Nevada’s university and community- Office —The Atlanta-based non- fi gure, and many of the consultants college system to provide education profit Southface Energy Institute will volunteer their time. in the basics of green building and has broken ground on its Eco Offi ce, ® assist students in preparing to take designed to earn a LEED Platinum Daniel Williams, FAIA, was on the the LEED accreditation exam. The rating from the U.S. Green Building selection committee for the SDAT bill is online at www.leg.state.nv.us/ Council. Intended as a demonstra- communities and is participating 22ndSpecial/bills/AB/AB3_EN.pdf. tion project to support Southface’s in the first project, in Cache Val- educational work, the Eco Office ley, Utah. Williams describes the will incorporate a range of avail- Cache Valley as an extremely scenic, European Parliament Bans able green building systems and rural landscape experiencing rapid Phthalates in Toys—The European products. The three-story, 10,000 economic development. It is subject Parliament voted in July 2005 to ft2 (930 m2) building will feature to extreme thermal inversions that make permanent a temporary ban photovoltaic panels, a green roof, degrade local air quality. The team on the use of phthalates in toys. composting toilets, dual-fl ush toi- for this project made an initial visit Phthalates have been linked to re- lets that use harvested rainwater, to the area to gather impressions and productive abnormalities in the de- daylighting and automatic lighting information and then participated in velopment of boys. Three types of controls, and access fl ooring with a three-day charrette. Team mem- phthalates were banned from all displacement ventilation, among bers are currently fi nalizing a report toys and three others were banned other green strategies. “When com- summarizing their recommenda- from only those toys that children pleted, the Eco Offi ce will be one of tions, which will be followed in six can put in their mouths. The Parlia- the greenest commercial buildings months by a whole-team conference ment is also looking into the use of in the world,” says Dennis Creech, call, according to Williams. fragrances in toys and the use of executive director of Southface. The phthalates in other products. fi rst phase of the Eco Offi ce is set The thing that is intriguing about to be completed in the spring of the SDAT,” says Williams, “is that 2006. More information is online at when you go in and establish what NYSERDA Announces Grants for www.southface.org. the sustainable energy and resource Heating and Cooling Technolo- characteristics of the region are, gies—The New York you can figure out what it wants State Energy Research to be.” Applications from commu- and Development Au- nities for 2006 SDATs are due in thority (NYSERDA) has January 2006. – JB & NM announced a program to support the research For more information: and development of Ann Livingston, Esq., Director heating and cooling Center for Communities by Design technologies for resi- [email protected] dential and commer- 202-626-7405 cial buildings. Eligible www.aia.org/liv_default projects must yield energy efficiency or Newsbriefs environmental perfor- mance in New York Nevada Promotes Green Build- State. NYSERDA plans ing—Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn to award up to $750,000 signed a bill in June 2005 requiring through several awards all state-funded projects to achieve of up to $250,000 each; ® LEED Certifi cation, or equivalent, projects are expected to Groundbreaking for Southface Energy Institute's Eco and requiring that every two years match NYSERDA’s fund- Offi ce began July 6, 2005. The project is on track to earn at least two public buildings whose ing. Proposals are due the Southeast's fi rst LEED-NC Platinum rating, according to Southface. Rendering: Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architecture

4 Environmental Building News · August 2005 What’s Happening

rankings of individual products, is EPA Panel Finds PFOA a Likely online at www.healthybuilding.net. Carcinogen and DuPont Sued in Class-Action Suit—Perfluoro- NREL Publishes Six Case Studies— octanoic acid (also called PFOA or The National Renewable Energy C8), a chemical DuPont uses to make Laboratory (NREL) has published ® Tefl on and other products (see EBN detailed case studies of the energy Vol. 13, No. 6), is “likely to be carci- performance of six buildings as part nogenic to humans,” according to a of its evaluation for the U.S. Depart- draft report from an advisory board ment of Energy. Each case study to the U.S. Environmental Protection compares measured energy use to Agency (EPA). If EPA accepts the the project’s design goals and iden- designation, it will conduct a full risk tifi es successes and lessons learned. assessment to determine the levels at The six projects are the Zion Na- which it poses a threat. Meanwhile, tional Park Visitor Center, the Adam two Florida law fi rms have fi led a $5 Joseph Lewis Center for Environ- billion class-action lawsuit against mental Studies at Oberlin College, DuPont, claiming the company hid Photo: Wilderness Society the NREL Thermal Test Facility, the Gaylord Neslon, founder of Earth Day information about PFOA’s potential BigHorn Home Improvement Cen- health threats. The plaintiffs want ter, the Cambria Offi ce Building at Founder of Earth Day Dies— DuPont to replace the cookware, the Pennsylvania Department of institute a Tefl on warning label, and Gaylord Nelson, former governor Environmental Protection, and the and U.S. senator from Wisconsin fund medical monitoring and addi- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Philip tional research. “Consumers using and founder of Earth Day, died in Merrill Environmental Center. All July 2005 at age 89. “I wanted a dem- products sold under the Tefl on brand six reports are online at www.nrel. are safe,” says DuPont spokesman onstration by so many people that gov/publications/ (search by proj- politicians would say, ‘Holy cow, Clif Webb. “Cookware coated with ect name). Case studies of all six DuPont Teflon nonstick coatings people care about this,’” Nelson said. projects are also included in the “That’s just what Earth Day did.” does not contain PFOA.” More in- BuildingGreen Suite. formation about PFOA is online at President Clinton awarded Nelson www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/. the Presidential Medal of Freedom DOE, HUD, and EPA Announce in 1995. “As the father of Earth Day, Partnerships for Home Energy Ef- he is the grandfather of all that grew HBN Rates Plastic Lumber—The ficiency—The U.S. Department of out of that event: the Environmen- nonprofit Healthy Building Net- Energy, Department of Housing tal Protection Act, the Clean Air work (HBN) has released a Guide and Urban Development, and Envi- Act, the Clean Water Act, and the to Plastic Lumber, rating the envi- ronmental Protection Agency have Safe Drinking Water Act,” said the ronmental and health performance teamed up to create the Partnerships proclamation. Most recently, Nel- of 38 types of plastic and composite for Home Energy Effi ciency, an ini- son worked on land-preservation lumber from 30 companies. Fourteen tiative aimed at cutting household issues as a counselor of the nonprofi t products were considered “most energy costs by 10% over the next Wilderness Society. environmentally preferable” for con- decade. “It seems to me that one of taining only high-density or low- the greatest untapped sources of Washington State Offers Renew- density polyethylene and 50% or energy we have in this country is the more post-consumer recycled con- able Energy Incentive—Washing- energy we currently waste,” says En- ton Governor Christine Gregoire has tent. Four products—made of 70% or ergy Secretary Samuel Bodman. “So more virgin PVC or virgin polysty- signed a bill that calls for paying in- by making our homes more energy- dividuals, businesses, and local gov- rene—earned the lowest rating, “not effi cient, we can go a long way to environmentally preferable.” The re- ernments 15 cents per kilowatt hour ensuring our nation’s future energy of electricity produced by off-grid maining products were categorized security, improving our greenhouse as “environmentally preferable,” solar panels, wind turbines, and an- gas intensity, and, at the same time, aerobic digesters. The incentive rises “less environmentally preferable,” taking some of the sting out of con- or “not environmentally preferable to up to 54 cents per kWh if certain sumers’ utility bills.” The initiative is components are manufactured in except for structural applications.” online at www.energysavers.gov. More information, including the Washington. The incentive is capped at $2,000 per applicant per year.

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 5 What’s Happening — Awards & Competitions

The State will extend the incentive to $1 per watt for the next 1,000 watts, Architects: Smith Carter’s new of- grid-tied systems once more utilities capped at a total rebate of $7,000 fi ces, also known as Green Beta Site have adopted uniform interconnec- per applicant. Solar thermal systems for Serious Play, were designed to tion standards. Denis Hayes, former qualify for a rebate of 25% of the be intellectually challenging and director of the Solar Energy Research system cost, including installation, inspiring while promoting inno- Institute and current president of the up to $1,250. The bill is online at vation and collaboration. “Issues Bullitt Foundation, described the bill http://janus.state.me.us/legis/ of sustainability infuse the design as “the most important solar legisla- (search for LD 1586). approach to the building as well as tion ever introduced in any Ameri- the practice,” said the judges. can state legislature.” The bill took • The Beamish-Munro Hall effect on July 1, 2005, and is slated to Coalition Formed to Promote Integrated Learning Centre at continue through June 2014. The bill Wind—The American Wind Energy Queen’s University in Kings- is online at www.leg.wa.gov (search Association has announced the for- ton, Ontario, by B+H Architects: for bill 5101). mation of “Wind Energy Works!,” a broad coalition of wind energy advocates designed to “engage in the Maine Approves Solar Rebates— public conversation over the merits Maine Governor John Baldacci signed of wind energy, educate the public a bill in June 2005 establishing rebates about the many benefits of wind for homeowners and business owners energy development, and act as a who install photovoltaic (PV) systems counterbalance to the misinforma- and solar thermal systems used to tion being spread by wind energy heat water or air. PV systems installed opponents in communities across before 2007 qualify for a rebate of $3 the country.” For more information, per watt for the fi rst 2,000 watts and visit www.awea.org.

Awards & Competitions

RAIC Announces 2005 in the BuildingGreen Suite. Awards of Excellence All seven projects granted Innovation in Architecture awards incorporate Green designers made a strong Photo: RAIC green strategies. showing in the Royal Architectural The Beamish-Munro Hall Integrated Institute of Canada (RAIC) 2005 • The Sustainable Condo, by Bus- Learning Centre at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, by B+H Architects. Awards of Excellence. RAIC bestows by Perkins+Will Architects Co.: the awards in several categories ev- Designed to educate visitors about ery two years. A complete list of the resource consumption, occupant Designed to embody green prin- winners is online at www.raic.org. health and well-being, and land- ciples as an example for the use considerations, this demon- University’s engineering students, Busby Perkins+Will Architects Co. stration project showcases envi- the Integrated Learning Centre was awarded an Architectural Firm ronmentally responsible products includes a three-story green wall, Award. Every principal and associate and building strategies. effi cient lighting, radiant fl ooring, at the fi rm is LEED accredited, and displacement ventilation, and ex- the fi rm has the largest portfolio of • The University of Ontario Insti- tensive daylighting. green projects in Canada, according tute of Technology (UOIT) in Dur- to RAIC. “The fi rm’s dedication to ham Region, Ontario, by Diamond • TOHU in Montreal, Quebec, by reinvesting in the knowledge pool, and Schmitt Architects: Intended to Schème Consultants, Jacques Plan- generously sharing each discovery be one of the greenest campuses in te Architecte, and Jodoin Lamarre of a better way of building environ- Canada, UOIT was designed to use Pratte et Associés Architectes: mentally, is truly commendable,” 50% less energy than required by The Cité des Arts du Cirque, also noted the jury. For an example of the the Model National Energy Code. known as TOHU, is a gateway to fi rm’s work, see the City of White Cirque du Soleil’s Montreal cam- • SC3 Paradigm Shift in Winni- Rock Operations Building case study pus of circus-related facilities. Hot peg, Manitoba, by Smith Carter water from the turbine cooling

6 Environmental Building News · August 2005 Awards & Competitions — Then & Now: 1995-2005

system of a neighboring biogas accepting risks associated with According to Steve Johnson, Lighting power station is used in TOHU’s emerging technologies while try- Research Group leader at the Law- radiant heating system, and a pas- ing to address the challenges of rence Berkeley National Laboratory sive ground-source air-circulation sustainability,” noted the jury. (which carries out a lot of DOE’s light- system provides ventilation. Green ing research), sulfur lighting is a “dif- roofs cover part of the facility. • The Thunder Bay Regional Health fi cult combination of lamp and source Sciences Centre in Thunder Bay, to make work.” In particular, the life • The Humber Building at the Uni- Ontario, by Salter Farrow Pilon of the power source (a magnetron, or versity of Guelph in Toronto, On- Architects, Inc: This 375-bed hos- microwave generator) was a signifi - tario, by Diamond and Schmitt pital was designed to create a more cant technical obstacle. He told EBN, Architects in joint venture with humanistic environment and to re- however, that developments with RHL Architects: This building’s spond to its natural context. Nearly silicon-carbide power chips used for skylit four-story atrium features half of the building site was left as radar systems have a frequency range displacement ventilation and a natural bogs, drainage channels, close to that of microwaves and show green wall. “The biofi ltration wall and bush. Skylights and extensive promise for overcoming some of the in particular corresponds to the windows bring daylight into much limitations that were experienced award criteria in the purest sense, of the facility. with Fusion Lighting’s sulfur system. DOE is not currently funding any sulfur lighting research. Sulfur lighting is down but may not Then & Now: 1995-2005 be out. Johnson has seen product literature from a Chinese compa- Sulfur Lighting No Longer Alas, it wasn’t to happen. Fusion ny claiming to have a sulfur light- Lighting closed its doors in early ing source on the market, though on Track 2002 after churning through tens he hasn’t seen the actual product. Ten years ago we covered sulfur of millions of dollars in venture A Web search found that research lighting, then a new light source capital. According to the past presi- is being actively conducted on a that offered promise for high effi cacy dent of the company, Leslie Levine, “microwave sulfur lamp” at the In- (about 100 lumens per watt), good “Fusion Lighting is closed down, stitute for Electric Sources at Fudan color rendition (CRI of 80), highly and all that is left are a set of patents, University in China. It is not known concentrated light (130,000 lumens including those on the sulfur lamp.” how similar this technology is to that from a light source the size of a golf Levine is not aware of any company of Fusion Lighting. – AW ball) lending itself to light-tube dis- making sulfur lamps today, though For more information: tribution, very long lamp life, and Fusion Lighting has licensed other avoidance of mercury (which is used lighting technology to LG in Korea. Illuminating Engineering & Light in fl uorescent and HID lighting)—see He told EBN that they are willing to Sources Department EBN Vol. 4, No. 4. Fusion Lighting, Institute for Electric Sources sell the intellectual property rights to Fudan University Inc., had just installed high-visibility a company that would carry Fusion Shanghai, People’s Republic of China prototypes at the U.S. Department Lighting’s technology forward. http://light.fudan.edu.cn of Energy (DOE) headquarters (at Though the manu- the Forrestal Building) and the Na- facturer is gone, tional Air and Space Museum, both three or four sulfur in Washington, D.C., and was mov- lighting installations ing ahead full-steam with product are still operating development. As an indication of the in the Washington, promise, at the Forrestal Building D.C., area, according DOE replaced 240 175-watt mercury- to James Broderick vapor HID lamps with a 240' long (73 of DOE. (The Air and m) 10"-diameter (250 mm) light tube Space Museum and powered by two sulfur lamps, one Forrestal prototype at each end; this system produced installations were four times as much light at one-third replaced with pro- the cost, compared to the lights it duction models in replaced. Indeed, the technology This sulfur lighting installation at the Department of Energy’s 1996 and ’97.) looked extremely promising. Forrestal Building is still operating, but the company that made it has gone out of business. Photo: U.S. Department of Energy

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 7 Product News & Reviews

likely to be recycled after they’ve been used. The archival-quality Product News & Reviews paper on which SIMs are printed do not contain recycled content, but the packaging is 100% recycled, The resources consumed in the Simulated Carpet Samples with 20% post-consumer content. process are significant. Tricycle Save Resources estimates that it takes With all the focus on reducing the nearly a quart (0.9 liter) environmental impact of buildings, of oil just to produce the relatively little attention is paid to nylon fi ber in a typical environmental burdens of the de- carpet sample. Manu- sign process. As any designer knows, facturing carpet also however, that process creates a lot of consumes water at a rate waste and ineffi ciency, and hence of over 2 gallons (9 liters) many opportunities for improve- per sample, and most of ment. One such opportunity is with the samples produced carpet samples, which designers re- end up in a landfi ll or quest from manufacturers to evalu- incinerator. Designers ate design possibilities and show to often order a wide selec- clients. These samples may be from tion of samples, in part stock carpet lines or custom-made to because getting them a designer’s specifi cation. takes time—at least a week and sometimes as It is not unusual for an interior de- long as three weeks for signer to review dozens of samples in custom designs. the course of a project. Each sample costs the manufacturer about $50, Using “digital tufting”

for a stock or running-line sample, technology developed Photo: Bentley Prince Street in England beginning or $150 for a custom sample. Shaw Bentley Prince Street’s Local Color service uses Tricycle Industries spends about $14 million in 1997, Tricycle creates software to display a room scene with carpet selected or annually providing samples, accord- paper versions of the customized by users of the company’s website. ing to Steve Bradfi eld, vice president carpet samples. Tricy- for environmental development at cle’s software simulates Shaw. Industry-wide, about 700,000 the actual placement of yarn in a Carpet companies pay Tricycle for samples are produced each year. tufting machine to create amaz- each SIM that is produced and sent. ingly realistic The cost to the companies varies by images. “Other volume, with a cap of $40 per SIM. alternatives, such Tricycle’s software works behind as photography or the scenes on the websites of car- texture-mapping pet manufacturers. “We work with over color fi elds, eight of the top ten carpet manufac- are not accurate turers,” Ludwick reports. But don’t enough to be use- expect to find the name Tricycle ful,” claims Caleb featured on the carpet companies’ Ludwick, market websites—each company brands intelligence man- the service its own way. Designers ager at Tricycle. visiting a carpet company’s website Tricycle’s SIM pa- can select from the available yarn per samples re- types and colors to create their own quire only about samples online. The samples are 5% as much en- immediately visible on the screen ergy and water at full scale and can be displayed as real samples, in a typical room scene. Tiles may Tandus’s blink service provides simulated carpet samples created and are more be installed into the room scenes in with Tricycle’s technology. Photo: Tandus

8 Environmental Building News · August 2005 Product News & Reviews

a range of sizes. A user’s favorites Solarwall Now Also In addition to its main facility in may be saved in a password-protect- Allentown, Pennsylvania, ATAS ed portfolio, and printed samples Available as InSpire has manufacturing plants in Mesa, can be ordered for delivery within ATAS International, a large manufac- Arizona, and Maryville, Tennessee. 48 hours. turer of metal wall and roof panels InSpire is manufactured exclusively based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is at the Tennessee facility. Until re- Given the digital nature of the prod- now selling a solar air heater under cently, ATAS was not promoting uct, it is surprising that it still relies the name InSpire™. InSpire is ATAS’s InSpire very aggressively, according on overnight shipping of printed ma- name for Solarwall®, a product that has to Bob Goodhart, product manager terial. The reason for this is that spe- been available from Conserval Engi- for InSpire. “We just have one [instal- cialized expertise and equipment is neering in Toronto, Ontario, and from lation] under our belts,” he reports. needed to ensure the accuracy of the Conserval Systems in Buffalo, New Conserval’s president, John Hollick, SIM, Ludwick explains. “We have York, for over a decade (see EBN Vol. meanwhile, reports that due to in- a production team that includes a 5, No. 1). InSpire is an unglazed, trans- creasing energy costs, the Kyoto pro- former dyehouse manager, a former ® pired, solar collector that uses perfo- tocol, and the LEED Rating System, product-evaluation manager for a their sales are picking up. Conserval rated sheet metal, usually installed as major textile firm, carpet design- is also introducing a new product for the exterior wall cladding on the ers, colorists, and print specialists.” installation under photovoltaic pan- south side of a building, to preheat That’s not to say that in-house SIM els. This product removes heat from ventilation air. services are impossible, however. the panels, increasing the effi ciency Two carpet companies, Shaw and Conserval installed equipment to of the photovoltaics while collecting Interface, have installed SIM print- manufacture Solarwall at its Buffalo, potentially useful heat. – NM ing capabilities for use by their in- New York, facility in 1999 (see EBN For more information: house design teams. This equipment Vol. 8, No. 7) but by 2003 changed speeds up their design cycle and course and arranged for ATAS to Bob Goodhart reduces the cost and environmental handle the manufacturing instead. ATAS International, Inc. Allentown, Pennsylvania burden of their operations. In taking over the manufactur- 610-395-8445 x261, 610-395-9342 (fax) ing, ATAS also procured a license Presented with the SIM option, some www.atas.com to sell the product directly within designers were hesitant, arguing that the U.S. ATAS now manufactures John Hollick, President being able to touch and feel a carpet Conserval Engineering, Inc. the product for sale by Conserval sample is important to their process. Toronto, Ontario as Solarwall, and for its own sales Tricycle is not trying to replace real 416-661-7057, 416-661-7146 (fax) as InSpire. www.solarwall.com samples entirely, Ludwick counters, but only to replace the large number of samples that are typically or- dered early in the process and then discarded. SIMs currently replace about 4% of the samples in the in- dustry. Even if some designers are reluctant to switch, there appears to be a lot of room for growth in that fi gure. By saving time and opening creative options for designers, sav- ing money for manufacturers, and reducing environmental burdens, Tricycle’s SIM technology looks like a real winner. – NM For more information: Caleb Ludwick, Market Intelligence Manager Tricycle, Inc. Chattanooga, Tennessee 800-808-4809, 423-648-6481 (fax) The BigHorn Home Improvement Center in Silverthorne, Colorado, features a Solarwall www.tricycleinc.com transpired solar collector to preheat ventilation air. That system is now also available from ATAS as InSpire. Photo: ATAS International

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 9 Feature Article: Design for the Birds

Design for the Birds (from page 1) the dead and dying. Meanwhile, seagulls, crows, and vultures; rats, cats, and dogs remove the casualties. Daytime dangers when they align so that the line of These scavengers learn to recog- vision continues in one window and nize the most bountiful buildings Birds often strike windows because out another (such as through lob- and stake out favorable positions; they see trees and the sky refl ect- bies or walkways) or when indoor seagulls cruise by waiting for op- ed in glass and mistake it for the vegetation is clearly visible through portunity to strike. Maintenance real thing. Clear glass can be quite the glass. personnel at commercial and in- reflective, depending on lighting stitutional buildings also hide evi- conditions and the angle at which Nighttime dangers dence by clearing away birds before it is viewed. Mirrored glass, lauded employees and visitors arrive each for its aesthetics, low cost, and ef- The night brings another set of risks morning. “Building staff at an illu- fectiveness at blocking heat gain, for birds, particularly for those mi- minated skyscraper have reported is even worse. “Mirrored glass is grating over cities. For reasons not fi lling a 55-gallon barrel with dead to songbirds what DDT is to birds well understood, birds are attracted birds in the morning,” says Doeker. of prey,” says Michael Mesure, ex- to light. Ornithologists speculate that ecutive director of the Fatal Light birds navigate by the stars and the “Nobody has a way of assessing Awareness Program (FLAP), in To- moon, and that light from buildings how many individuals are dying,” ronto, Ontario, a nonprofi t organiza- confuses them. The problem worsens says Klem. But his research, sup- tion dedicated to raising awareness during inclement weather, when low ported by other studies, suggests clouds force migrating birds to fl y of this problem. Bruce Fowle, FAIA, that somewhere between 100 million at a lower altitude. Disoriented by of Fox & Fowle Architects in New and one billion birds die each year lights, birds can fl y into windows, York City, points out that “refl ective in the U.S. as a result of striking walls, and even other birds. Some glass is designed to be as minimally windows. That range represents become trapped by beams of light, visible in the skyline as possible.” It between one and ten birds per build- unable or unwilling to land or leave often functions as nature-patterned ing per year. Some experts, includ- the beam. “Birds get exhausted and camoufl age for buildings. ing Doeker, believe the toll is in the literally drop to the ground,” Doeker billions each year. About 225 bird Birds also strike windows when told EBN. Others land nearby, often species—a fourth of all species in they see through clear glass—clear “where they shouldn’t be—in the the U.S.—are known to have hit windows are especially problematic middle of the downtown business windows. Second only to habitat district, for example.” These loss, collision with windows is now weary birds are more vulner- considered the largest human cause able to being preyed upon. of bird mortality, according to Klem, Those that survive the night beating out hunting, cat predation, face an unfriendly environ- pesticide exposure, and communica- ment in the morning, includ- tion-tower collisions. ing all of the daytime dangers described above and, in dense “Glass is an indiscriminate killer urban locations, the threat of of the fittest members of the starvation. population as well as the weak,” according to Klem. Windows kill The magnitude of the young and old individuals, from problem common, rare, and endangered spe- Though most of us can recall cies alike. About half of the birds the sickening thud of a bird that hit windows die on impact, hitting a window, few of us Klem has found, most often from are aware of the magnitude of hemorrhaging in the brain. (Con- the problem. “Even the scien- trary to popular belief, birds rarely tifi c community has ignored break their necks.) Birds that survive this,” Klem told EBN. Window a crash may sustain concussions, strikes are “a silent killer,” broken wings and beaks, and other he says, largely because we injuries. Even if these injuries are Birds often fail to recognize refl ective glass as a not fatal, they make the birds more solid surface, fl ying straight into refl ections of rarely see the carnage. Veg- safe habitat. Photo: Jessica Boehland etation around homes hides vulnerable to predators.

10 Environmental Building News · August 2005 Feature Article: Design for the Birds

Why it matters that the most powerful motivation equation, and there can be confl icts” for change is the “guilt and anxiety between bird-friendly design crite- Ignorant of their biological roles, or associated with killing something ria and other green design criteria, perhaps indifferent to them, “we take you didn’t intend to kill.” notes Jeanne Gang, AIA, principal of birds for granted,” says Mesure. Birds Studio Gang Architects in Chicago. distribute seeds, pollinate fl owers, eat The Solutions “Architects need to read up and fully rodents, and consume billions and understand both.” billions of insects in their breeding “There is a great crisis in the conser- territories, he says. “You wouldn’t vation fi eld that only architects and Design for bird protection be able to set foot out your door if designers can solve,” says Doeker. The most effective and cost-effec- we didn’t have the birds to eat these Mesure explains the challenge this tive time to address a building’s insects.” According to Klem, birds are way: “We have to make sure that win- bird friendliness is during initial not only an integral part dows are nonrefl ective design. It also tends to yield the of the ecosystem but also and nontransparent, most aesthetically satisfying results. indicators of environmen- while at the same time “On new construction, no one will tal health. “The old canary allowing the windows ever know,” says Doeker. Following in the mine stuff—it’s to serve their pur- the March 2005 Birds and Build- hackneyed, but these pose—to let light in animals, from a purely utilitarian point of view, are very serviceable.” Through the market for birdseed, binoculars, and fi eld guides, and the ca- tering to birding tourists, birdwatching represents a multi-billion-dollar industry, ac- cording to Mesure. It’s the second most popular outdoor activity in North America, after gardening, and the fastest growing, he told EBN. Birds also serve a cultural role, Klem points out, “as a means of stimulating a conservation and en- A ceramic tubular screen is planned for the New York Times headquarters in New York vironmental ethic in the citizenry. City. The screen was designed primarily for aesthetics and sun control, according to Fowle, Birds are something people identify but bird-friendly design was also a factor. Photo: David Joseph Rendering: Fox & Fowle Architects with. There are birds on cave walls, in spiritual texts, in music. Cultur- ings Forum conference (which ally, birds pervade our lives in ways and let people see through them.” BuildingGreen cosponsored), “one people don’t even think about.” A variety of strategies are emerging to meet that challenge. While initial of the architects wrote back,” Doeker To most people engaged in this cause, bird-friendly design is preferable, remembers, “incredibly surprised, however, the problem is not one of building owners are experimenting because he thought we’d be asking strictly science or ecology, or one of with renovations that remedy prob- an arm and a leg. ‘You recognized economics or culture, but rather one lematic buildings. that I do a million things already,’ of morality. The prospect of a “silent he said, ‘and simply asked me to do While many of these strategies com- spring,” described by Rachel Car- a million and one.’ This is not testing plement other green design strategies, son’s landmark 1962 book about the anyone’s brain cells, or overpower- some may necessitate compromise. ing their skill set,” she told EBN. threat pesticides pose to songbirds, Incorporating bird-friendly strategies “It’s just one more factor to put in the launched the modern environmental on south-facing glazing can diminish design criteria.” movement. “Even if you know for a overall energy performance by block- scientifi c fact that the species of birds ing passive solar gain, for example. Glass selection and placement. “Do that will hit your next building are in The most significant compromise away entirely with mirrored glass,” great abundance,” asks the Birds and may be in the connection with nature says Mesure. “Let that fad pass!” Buildings Forum website, “do you re- that large expanses of clear glass can Doeker is less emphatic, explaining ally want to do that?” Klem believes offer to occupants. “It is not a simple that “you can have refl ective glass,

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 11 Feature Article: Design for the Birds

Bird-Friendly Design at Swarthmore College small as 4" wide by 2" high (10 by 5 cm)—about the size of a horizontal Having lost its entire population of hummingbirds to the glass of a campus building, Swarthmore College immediately identifi ed bird-friendly design as a project goal for human handprint. the renovation of, and addition to, its Unifi ed Science Center. Photovoltaic panels. Different types “That’s wonderful as a goal,” says design principal Margaret Helfand, FAIA, of Helfand Architecture, “but there was not much of building-integrated photovoltaic information on what to do, except don’t have glass.” Concerned (BIPV) panels affect a building’s about the proposed expanse of clear glass, the project’s Green bird friendliness in different ways. Team consulted ornithologist Daniel Klem. Though transparency is generally “We decided we had two options,” Helfand told EBN. “One not a problem with BIPV panels, re- was to install netting from the eaves to the ground, and the other fl ection can be. Generally, the more was to try to do something with visual noise the panel creates, the the glass itself.” Opting for glass more visible it will be to birds. See modifi cation, the design team se- EBN Vol. 10, No. 3 for more on BIPV. lected a fi ne-grained ceramic-frit pattern, which doubles as solar Shading devices. Lightshelves, shut- refl ectance, for some of the glass ters, sunscreens, and other shading panels. “The fritted pattern is in devices mute refl ections and provide the upper areas,” explains Hel- visual noise, making it easier for fand. “It creates sort of a thin veil, birds to recognize the façade as a kind of like wearing sunglasses.” At eye level, the team used clear solid surface. glass so occupants could fully benefi t from the views. Retrofi t for bird protection The team is pleased with the Viewing an existing collision prob- results. Swarthmore installed a lem as a design opportunity allows “thump meter” on some of the the solutions to become integral to fritted glass, which picks up vibra- the buildings. “When a building has tion and triggers a camera. “So far, we haven’t had any thumps,” been fi xed, the owners and residents Helfand reports. “As far as we should look at it and say, oh, you know, we have not had a single redecorated, or, oh, you did that for bird death.” Helfand is also happy energy conservation,” says Doeker. with the aesthetic results. “I think “This does not have to be an aes- this glass has added value from thetic sacrifi ce.” Fixing a problematic The Swarthmore College Unifi ed Science Center a design perspective. It creates a features ceramic-fritted glass in some areas. (The more intimate effect in that com- building can easily involve a com- dark band along the top is shade; all of the upper mon space.” The design team’s bination of the strategies described glass is fritted.) After consulting with glass manu- bird-friendly efforts won the proj- here. Window film can make the facturer Pilkington and ornithologist Daniel Klem, ect a LEED® innovation point, lower portion of a window visible, 1 the design team selected a pattern of ⁄ 8" diameter as exemplary performance in for example, while an awning shades 1 dots on ⁄ 4" centers (inset). Photo: Jeff Goldberg/ESTO the Sustainable Sites credit for the upper region. reduced site disturbance. Screens. Traditional screens in- stalled on the outside of windows Patterned and etched glass. Etched but you have to break it up with ar- do an excellent job of muting both and ceramic-fritted glass are often chitectural details so a bird fl ying by refl ectivity and transparency. The used to diffuse light, provide priva- doesn’t confuse the refl ection for the renewed popularity of operable win- cy, or decorate a façade, but they can sun and sky.” If birds do get close to dows is especially benefi cial to birds simultaneously make glass visible the glass, they can be deceived, but for this reason. simply breaking up the glass—creat- to birds. Not all patterned glass pre- ing visual noise with mullions, for vents refl ection, however; selecting Window film. Nonreflective win- example—can deter birds from ap- a pattern large enough to be visible dow films are an effective, inex- proaching the building in the fi rst from a distance is important, so that pensive means of making glass place. Glass corners, view-through birds notice the surface in time to visible to birds by reducing both corridors, and visible indoor vegeta- change course. To be most effective, the reflectivity and the transpar- tion pose added threats to birds. Tilt- the pattern must also be tight: birds ency of the glass. Noting that a lot of ing glass so that it refl ects the ground have evolved a stunning adroitness window fi lms worsen the problem, can be effective, but only, Klem has at fl ying between tree branches and FLAP recommends Scotchprint®, found, if the glass is oriented at angles through other tight voids, and they produced by 3M, and CollidEscape, between 20 and 40 degrees. will try to fly through spaces as

12 Environmental Building News · August 2005 Feature Article: Design for the Birds

produced by Large Format Digital, Netting. “People use netting in it made,” says Mesure. As long as the Inc., in Madison, Wisconsin. Though places where they don’t care what UV glass is relatively price-competi- this type of film is marketed for it looks like,” says Doeker, who has tive with conventional clear glass, commercial and retail advertising, dubbed netting the offi cial band-aid Fowle says, “it would allow me as an primarily on the sides of busses for problematic buildings. Netting, architect to easily say to the owner, and vans, architects and building usually strung from poles several we’re going to put bird-safe glass in owners are applying it to buildings. inches from the building, can mute this project.” He envisions a sticker Tiny perforations or a transparent both reflection and transparency in the corner as the only identifi ca- surface allows light to pass through to some degree; its real purpose, tion that the glass is bird-safe. the film; viewed from inside, though, is to protect birds that do fl y “If you leave it to the bird conserva- windows treated with the film into the building. The weave must be tionists, we’ll tell everybody to put appear shaded. tight enough to prevent birds from strips of tape on their windows two getting stuck, and the net must be inches apart,” jokes E. J. McAdams, Other interior visual noise. “Get fi rm enough to allow birds to bounce executive dirctor of New York City into using what you’ve got,” sug- away safely. A few projects, notably Audubon, pointing out that scien- gests Doeker. “If you’ve got blinds, nature centers, have used netting as tifi c solutions and architectural solu- crack ‘em three-quarters so they an educational design element. present a visual pattern.” She also tions refl ect different priorities. The recommends using different col- Birdfeeders. Moving birdfeeders beauty of UV glass is that it neatly ors on the exterior of alternating to very near or right against win- satisfi es both agendas. While other blinds to create stripes. Banners or dows can also reduce the number technologies and strategies can be fl ags hung in lobbies can block see- of deaths, as birds alighting from effective, “I think this is the most through corridors. Artwork on the these feeders are unable to build up elegant solution,” he told EBN. enough speed to hurt themselves if glass itself can also be effective. “A New York City Audubon, FLAP, the they hit the windows. About 70% light paste made from Bon Ami soap Birds and Buildings Forum, and of window strikes from feeders be- is the ‘paint’ of choice,” says Doeker. the Humane Society of the United tween 13 and 33 feet (4 and 10 m) “On windows, it looks like a light States—together with technical ad- from the glass are fatal, Klem’s re- glaze or etching. Create a design that visors Fowle, Klem, and glass artists search has shown. Bird baths and mimics your window covering or Tom Patti and Marilyn Holtz Patti— some types of vegetation can also be decorative style. If you don’t like it, have banded together with the goal problematic if they encourage birds wash it off and start again.” Interior of bringing such a glass product to to be near unprotected windows. solutions can help but are not always market. Dubbed the Bird Safe Glass as effective as those applied to the Future solutions for bird Working Group, the team met for building exterior—even if the rem- protection the fi st time in July 2005. “It felt like edy is visible from straight-on, re- a piece of history,” Fowle told EBN. fl ection may render it invisible from Those people engaged in bird-friend- Working with a grant from the U.S. an angle. Also, when a building’s ly design are pinning their hopes Fish and Wildlife Service, the group interior is darker than its exterior, on the development of glass with also plans to set up guidelines to help clear and tinted glass can refl ect like an embedded or applied ultraviolet educate architects, building owners, mirrored glass. (UV) pattern. Birds would be able to and glass technicians. “Our goal is to see this pattern, and recognize the Other exterior visual noise. Any- go out of business,” says McAdams. glass as a barrier, the theory goes, thing that blocks the view between while the human eye would render Shy of dismissing the promise of UV a bird and glass can prevent window it invisible. “If that works, we’ve got glass, Doeker is wary of any supposed strikes. Fencing—even far from the silver-bullet solution. “It may turn out building, as long as it blocks the bird’s view to the window—can be effec- tive. FLAP recommends hanging rib- What About Green Roofs? bons or other artwork 2" (5 cm) apart Green roofs can provide benefi cial habitat for birds, as oases in urban cores. But they on the outside of windows along the can also attract birds to dangerous places they wouldn’t otherwise be. “We love green full width of the glass. If birds look roofs,” says Doeker, “but if I were putting one in the city, where there were buildings down on the windows, awnings can around it, I’d think about what refl ects in nearby windows.” She suggests putting lat- hide refl ective and transparent glass. ticework or fencing around bushes so that not only the bush, but also the fence, refl ects. If birds look up at windows, however, Fencing in the entire roof so that nothing inviting refl ects in neighboring windows would be even more effective. Encouraging neighboring building owners to utilize some of from a stream bank or shrubs, for the other strategies outlined here can also assuage the concern. “This is no reason example, an awning will have little not to install a green roof,” Doeker stresses, it just requires a bit more diligence in the effect on bird kills. design of the space.

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 13 Feature Article: Design for the Birds

to not work,” she says. If it does work, of light thrown skyward, protecting MBTA has been used against power it may take several years to become birds and other wildlife. Dimming utilities for the unintentional electro- widely available, or it may prove pro- lights in lobbies and atria and closing cution of migratory birds. hibitively expensive for some projects. blinds in offi ces have a positive effect. “The judges are convinced that to Even if the UV clear glass lives up to Using occupancy sensors and timer- implement the law would be im- the Bird Safe Glass Working Group’s automated control systems reduces practical, that it would be an as- dreams, notes Fowle, “there’s also the the chance of unnecessarily lighting sault on common sense,” says Klem. refl ectivity problem.” Doeker notes unoccupied spaces. Using task light- “But let’s forget about enforcing the that other solutions already exist. ing in place of blanket lighting limits letter of the law. McCormick Con- “People need to design to avoid bird the amount of light that escapes the vention Center can kill 200 birds collisions,” she says. building, and locating nighttime a day—don’t you think we should work in interior spaces prevents light do something about that?” Even if Operations, regulation, and from escaping altogether. All of these federal regulation, or the threat of education for bird protection strategies have the added benefi ts of federal regulation, continues to be saving energy and money. Operations. Some of the most ef- ineffective at reforming the design fective strategies, however, address Regulation. Both the Endangered of new buildings or encouraging the not the buildings themselves but Species Act and the Migratory Bird retrofi t of existing buildings to pro- the ways in which they are oper- Treaty Act (MBTA) provide some tect birds, Klem hopes it can be used ated. Long-term research at Chicago’s protection for birds. MBTA is espe- to sanction mandatory labels on all McCormick Place convention cen- cially apt, as it disallows both inten- sheet glass, “to alert building-indus- ter shows that keeping lights off at tional and unintentional harming or try professionals that this product is night results in an 80% reduction in killing of even a single migratory a proven lethal hazard for birds.” fatalities and that each light makes bird without a permit from the U.S. Education and advocacy. Concerned a difference. Even when darkness Fish and Wildlife Service. Though citizens have implemented “Lights is impractical, other solutions may it has never been used to prosecute Out” programs in Toronto, Chicago, help. Selecting full-cutoff lamps for designers, building owners, or glass New York City, and Milwaukee to site lighting minimizes the amount manufacturers for window kills, educate building owners about the threat their buildings pose to birds What Doesn’t Work and to encourage them to darken their buildings at night—especially Several products marketed to prevent bird collisions have less-than-impressive records. Decals, often shaped like birds of prey, are commonly sold with this intent. Birds recognize during spring and autumn migra- that the decals are not actually threats, however, and since they will try to fl y through tion seasons. Building owners have spaces as small as a human handprint, the occasional decal is useless. “Anyone who’s been remarkably responsive. “Bright serious about solving the problem, the fi rst thing they do is go out and buy a decal,” says lights are left on overnight for deco- Mesure. “It doesn’t work, but they think it does. It’s like a placebo effect.” Doeker agrees: rative and promotional purposes,” “All that randomly placed says Doeker, noting a few exceptions, decals have done, in gen- such as hospitals and police stations. eral, is cut down kills to the point where scavengers like “Some owners are relieved to fi nally rats and gulls can pick up have an excuse to turn out the lights the rest.” and stop wasting electricity. Even Other proposed solutions people indifferent to conservation include statues of preda- issues appreciate that turning out tory birds, speakers play- unnecessary lights saves money.” ing distress cries or the calls of predatory birds, The design community also has a speakers playing ultrasonic key role to play in the support of frequencies, blinking lights, bird-friendly design. “Architects are and magnets that interfere such intense problem solvers and with birds’ internal sense creative thinkers that they’re in a of the geomagnetic fi eld. unique position to help solve the While these products may problem,” says McAdams. “Archi- irritate birds, discouraging them from nesting near the tects have to recognize the problem,” devices or pecking at win- says Fowle. “We have to put pressure Since birds will try to fl y through spaces as small as dows, they are generally on industry—particularly the glass a human handprint, the occasional decal does little to ineffective at preventing industry—to develop solutions, and prevent collisions. Photo: Jessica Boehland collisions. on regulation agencies to develop

14 Environmental Building News · August 2005 Feature Article: Design for the Birds — From the Library

mandates, and on LEED to recog- nize the issue,” he continues. “And, of course, we have to convince our From the Library clients.” Doeker also places hope in designers. “I’m fully confi dent that once the architectural community Porous Pavements Much of the rest of the book re- understands the problem,” she says, by Bruce Ferguson. CRC Press, views the major types of porous “they will come up with solutions.” Boca Raton, Florida, 2005. pavement. Ferguson divides these Hardcover, 600 pages, $159.95. into nine categories: porous aggre- Putting It All Together gate, porous turf, plastic geocells, Porous Pavements is the fi rst compre- open-jointed paving blocks, open- While the problem of birds fl ying hensive reference on porous pave- cell paving grids, porous concrete, into windows is not well understood ment theory, design, materials, and porous asphalt, soft porous surfac- by the general public, the phenom- applications. Written by one of the ing (bark mulch and coconut fi ber, enon is well documented. And it is nation’s leading experts on storm- for example), and decks (which can clearly devastating the bird popula- water and stormwater infi ltration, be considered a sort of porous sur- tion. In order to design and retrofi t the book provides a one-stop source face). In sections where proprietary our buildings to curtail the calam- for information on all aspects of por- products are used (plastic geocells ity, we must look at these buildings ous pavement practice. (For more on with a bird’s-eye view. Where birds porous pavements as a component look through glass, we must begin of green development, see EBN Vol. to see danger. The best approach to 13, No. 9.) preventing bird collisions will likely be found in a combination of the In making the case for porous pave- strategies described here, and it will ment, Bruce Ferguson provides com- be unique for each project. pelling statistics on the severity of the problem of impervious surface The fi rst step to alleviating the prob- in urban areas. In typical commer- lem is acknowledging its gravity. cial development, for example, the “People are paying more attention overall impervious area averages now,” says Klem, “and I’m grateful for 85%, with two-thirds of that from that.” But solving this problem will require more than awareness. It calls pavement and one-third from roofs. for creativity from designers, fl exibil- Porous pavement, where it can be ity from building owners, informa- implemented, provides such ben- tion from scientists, innovation from efits as cleaner surface water (by the glass industry, concern from the allowing stormwater to be treat- general public, and inspiration from ed where it infi ltrates the ground the natural world. Klem hopes that instead of carrying pollutants the combined creative powers will into surface waters), cooler cities, yield solutions suffi cient to confi ne quieter cities, safer driving, and better the problem to the past. “We might be tree survival rates. Porous Pavements able to solve this thing together.” clearly articulates these benefits and open-jointed paving blocks, for and others. – Jessica Boehland example), the book provides manu- Ferguson goes into signifi cant de- facturer website addresses. For more information: tail on the civil engineering issues Porous Pavements includes more than Randi Doeker, Director of porous pavement: load-bearing 300 diagrams and over 130 black- Birds and Buildings Forum needs of the substrate, compaction, Chicago, Illinois and-white photographs. It provides 773-517-3657 freezing-thaw cycling, pavement real-world examples of the many [email protected] edge issues, and stormwater hy- hundreds of porous pavement in- www.birdsandbuildings.org drology. The chapter on hydrol- stallations that Ferguson visited ogy includes discussion of surface Michael Mesure, Executive Director while researching this book. Though Fatal Light Awareness Program runoff, reservoir capacity in porous expensive, the book is well worth Toronto, Ontario pavement, infi ltration into subgrade, the investment for anyone involved 416-366-3527 and the removal of stormwater pol- with implementing porous pavement michael@fl ap.org lutants through infi ltration. www.fl ap.org systems. –AW

Volume 14, Number 8 · Environmental Building News 15 of SB05Tokyo. Info: Fax: +81-3-3437-6482; 26-28 • Excellence in Building 2005, [email protected]; www.sb05.com. Colorado Springs, CO. Sponsor: Energy & Environmental Building Association. Calendar OCTOBER Information: 952-881-1098; www.eeba.org/ conference/. 1 • Green Buildings Open House, North- AUGUST eastern U.S. Sponsor: Northeast Sustain- NOVEMBER able Energy Association. Information: 14-17 • Energy 2005: The Solutions Network, [email protected]; www.NESEA.org. 6-8 • Building Materials Reuse and Recy- Long Beach, CA. Sponsor: U.S. Depart- cling: Decon ‘05 Conference, Atlanta, GA. ment of Energy. Information: 800-608-7141; 6-9 • Solar Power 2005, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Building Materials Reuse As- [email protected]; www.energy Sponsor: Solar Electric Power Assoc. Info: sociation. Information: 814-571-8659; guy_ 2005.ee.doe.gov/. 202-857-0898; htaylor@solarelectric power. [email protected]; www.decon05.com/. org; www.solarpowerconference.com/. 27-Sept. 9 • Permaculture Design Certifi ca- 8-10 • 2005 Design-Build Expo, Las Vegas, tion Course, Santa Fe, NM. Sponsor: Eco 7-10 • ASLA Annual Meeting & Expo, Fort NV. Sponsor: Design-Build Institute of Versity. Information: 505-424-9797 x10; Lauderdale, FL. Sponsor: American Soci- America. Info: 202-454-7535; pwilson@dbia. www.ecoversity.org/administration/ ety of Landscape Architects. Information: org; www.designbuildexpo.com/. programs/ CE/04F/F4-23/Overview.aspx/. 202-898-2444; www.asla.org/meetings/ am2005/. 9-11 • Greenbuild International Conference SEPTEMBER & Expo 2005, Atlanta, GA. Sponsor: U.S. 13 • Building Green: 2005 AIA Delaware Green Building Council. Info: info@usgbc. 8-9 • High Performance Green Building: Statewide Design Convention, Wilm- org; www.greenbuildexpo.org. The Future of Affordable Housing, Denton, ington, DE. Sponsor: Delaware Chapter TX. Sponsor: Center for Public Service. Infor- of the American Institute of Architects. DECEMBER mation: 940-565-2000; [email protected]; Information: 302-654-9817; pwilson@dbia. www.cps.unt.edu/news/september05/ org; www.aiadelaware.org/awards05/ 13-16 • Ecobuild Federal, Washington, DC. index.html. building-green.htm. Sponsor: Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. Information: 800-996-3863; www. 9-10 • Green Building Fair 2005, San 17-19 • Buildings Executive Summit: ecobuildamerica.com. Jose, CA. Sponsor: The American Institute Best Practices in Sustainability, La Jol- of Architects, Santa Clara Valley. Info: 408-298- la, CA. Sponsor: Stamats Business Media MARCH 2006 0611; www.aiascv.org/pages/news.html. Live Events. Information: 952-224-8540; [email protected]; www.buildings. 17 • Pervious Concrete Pavement Semi- 7-9 • Building Energy 2006 and Trade com/sbmlive/EventLandingExecSummit. nar & Demonstration, Denver, CO. Show, Boston, MA. Sponsor: Northeast aspx?leid=10. Sponsor: American Society of Concrete Sustainable Energy Association. Info: Contractors. Information: 866-788-2722; 413-774-6051; [email protected]; 18-19 • Green Retrofit Strategies Sum- www.nesea.org. [email protected]; www.ascconline. mit, Toronto, ON, Canada. Sponsor: org/PDF/AnnConfBroch2005Web.pdf. Strategy Institute. Info: 416-944-9200; APRIL 22-25 • Elder Cohousing Getting Start- ono@ strategyinstitute.com; www.strategy ed Workshop, Boulder, CO. Sponsor: The institute.com/101805_green_retrofi t/dsp_ 19-20 • CleanMed 2006, Seattle, WA. Elder Cohousing Network. Information: green_retrofi t.php. Sponsor: CleanMed. Info: 617-524-6018; www.cleanmed.org/2006/home.html/. 303-413-8066; [email protected]; 20 • Green Materials Showcase 2005, San www.eldercohousing.org. Francisco, CA. Sponsor: Architects/De- More complete information and 27-29 • 2005 World Sustainable Building signers/Planners for Social Responsibility. Conference: Action for Sustainability, To- Information: 510-558-1075; info@gms2005. additional listings are online at kyo, Japan. Sponsor: Conference Secretariat org; www.gms2005.org. www.BuildingGreen.com.

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