Toronto 100 Queens Quay at Sugar Wharf | 117.34m | 25s | Menkes | B+H

Redlom said:
Curious to know if , during the planning and approval stages, any studies were done to assess the potential of bird collisions, and if any design elements were required by the City to mitigate fatalities. Though having no special knowledge in this area, it seems to me that this slab tower, right off the water with highly reflective blue glass, will be particularly effective at ending many flights. Anyone?
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The City of Toronto requires that on new buildings all glass as high as 12 metres above the ground (and to the height of adjacent tree canopy if it is higher than 12 metres) have a pattern on it which birds will see. That is most often accomplished through an array of dots enamelled onto the glass, something that's called 'frit'. Apparently the vast majority of birds that collide with buildings fly within 12 metres of the ground, so the City instituted the policy about a decade ago now in response to concerns from the birding community. You can read more about the Fatal Light Awareness Program, or FLAP, at flap.org.

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Do we have metrics / tracking data to confirm for us if the guidelines are helping or not? I'm very curious about that.
 
.dwg said:
Do we have metrics / tracking data to confirm for us if the guidelines are helping or not? I'm very curious about that.
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Flap's website includes a Milestones page where for 2010 they list this:
City of Toronto becomes the first city in the world to mandate bird-friendly guidelines
…and then to go on to focus their attention elsewhere. In 2019 they note this:
CSA Bird-Friendly Buildings Standard
…which would have as its basis some of what was established in Toronto. As they aren't pushing for more here now (that I am aware of) I take it they consider the measures laid out in our bird-friendly guidelines to be successful.

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A lot of the more recent projects had specific drawings in the submission sets indicating the levels of bird protection.

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interchange42 said:
As they aren't pushing for more here now (that I am aware of) I take it they consider the measures laid out in our bird-friendly guidelines to be successful.
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No doubt they do but I was wondering if there are reports that show a reduction in bird deaths / bird strikes. There should be some feedback so we know how it has helped in a decade of employing the guidelines, whether quantitatively or qualitatively. I don't doubt it has helped, I would just be curious.
 
Automation Gallery said:
It's a box but i'm liking everything about it :cool:
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All buildings are 'boxes' - some have interesting shapes, some have colours and some fit into their neighbourhood better than others. Most are quite boring and I am thinking this one may fit into that category but it's still early days and I am with-holding judgement for a few more months. (And, before others jump in, it is, of course, better than the wasteland it replaced.)
 
.dwg said:
No doubt they do but I was wondering if there are reports that show a reduction in bird deaths / bird strikes. There should be some feedback so we know how it has helped in a decade of employing the guidelines, whether quantitatively or qualitatively. I don't doubt it has helped, I would just be curious.
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Yes, some stats would be interesting. I looked at the FLAP website https://flap.org/ and was surprised not to find any there. They strongly advocate for building modifications so it seems to be something they OUGHT to have.
 
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