In an era of increased climate concern, lawmakers are working to ensure that new construction projects won't be unnecessarily harmful to the planet. Activists have long been trying to extend those concerns to birds, whose collisions with buildings have contributed to the more than 25% decline in the U.S. and Canadian breeding population since 1970. Now, new legislation in New York City will ensure that concern for the welfare of shrinking avian populations is a core part of the design and planning process.

This week, the New York City Council approved Proposed Initiative 1482-B, which the American Bird Conservancy hails as “to date, the most broad-reaching bird-friendly building policy in the country,” according to a press release. Specifically, it requires that the materials used in the construction of new buildings meet bird-friendly safety standards that aim to reduce deadly collisions. Extensive renovation projects that involve the modification of existing glass also fall under the bill’s purview.

A number of stakeholders representing both the birding community and architectural interests worked with the city council to craft the legislation. Among them were the American Bird Conservancy, the New York City Audubon, the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and the Bird Safe Building Alliance, as well as architects representing firms FXCollaborative and Ennead Architects.

To get the legislation over the finish line, the various stakeholders weighed considerations like building design, use of glass, lighting, heat, and other contributing factors to bird mortality. The end result is a set of policies that New York City Audubon executive director Kathryn Heintz says “will reduce collisions and save migratory birds whose numbers are declining dramatically.”

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Bird-building collisions are a real problem plaguing more than just the odd NFL stadium. Based on research published in Science, collisions with buildings account for up to one billion bird deaths in the U.S. each year.

The good news is that implementing design choices meant to limit bird collisions has already worked in New York City. The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, once deemed one of the worst buildings for birds in the city, was renovated by FXCollaborative in 2013 to include new glass that birds can detect as an obstacle. The end result was both an incredible 90% drop in bird deaths and reduced energy costs. Following these policies could thereby boost building’s sustainability at a time when the city is increasingly focused on energy efficiency.

"The materials and techniques that prevent bird collisions are already commonly used for a variety of reasons in our buildings," Benjamin Prosky, executive director of AIA New York and the Center for Architecture, told the American Bird Conservancy. "This legislation mandates their use in ways that also protect birds in cost-effective ways. AIANY and its members are proud to have fought for this common-sense bill."

The bill goes into effect one year from its passage on December 10, at which point all newly constructed or significantly altered buildings in the five boroughs must adhere to the new standards.