Home Technology of the Future: Bird Friendly New Windows

Bird Friendly New Windows
Photo courtesy of Flickr’s Jack W. Pierce

For many homeowners, making the decision to buy replacement windows isn’t just about cutting their energy bills and improving the look of their homes. In fact, one of the main reasons energy efficient windows, like our Energy Xtreme series, are so popular is because they give each homeowner the chance to make a difference and a very real shot at protecting nature. Using less energy directly translates to less environmental impact, after all.   All factors to take into consideration when purchasing new windows.

Taking Eco-Friendly to the Next Level

According to recent scientific research, hundreds of millions of birds are killed every year in North America when they fly into windows. Unlike humans, birds cannot see the distinction between a pane of glass and empty space. Subsequently, they think nothing of trying to fly through our windows, a daredevil move that usually ends with a broken wing, or worse.

Thinking to get ahead of the problem, Arnold Glas, a European window technology company, invented Ornilux. New windows using this Ornilux technology appear completely normal to the human eye. As far as we’re concerned, any window featuring this bird deterrent is just another option for energy efficient windows. However, for birds, creatures with the ability to see in the ultraviolet light spectrum, Ornilux windows look like a patchwork of lines, closely resembling a net. The effect? Birds stay away.

Bird Safe, Budget Friendly New Windows

There’s no doubt that for the conservationist and eco-focused homeowner the technology created by Ornilux is a fantastic new way to keep making a difference when buying new windows. However, what if you feel that saving a few birds isn’t quite worth the cost of robin-repelling options?

Well, consider this: every time a bird strikes your windows, there is a considerable chance that they are going to leave a noticeable crack, especially if they’re a bigger breed — just ask the countless number of homeowners who’ve woken up to an unexpected draft, only to find the body of the culpable bird laying just beneath the window outside. If that happens too many times, you’re bound to notice the repair bills stacking up.  In other words, bird-repellent windows will change the game for the animal lover and the financially savvy homeowner alike — assuming, of course, they ever find their way across the pond from the United Kingdom.