Guardian Glass has expanded its bird-friendly glazing portfolio with the launch of Bird1st™ UV, a next-generation solution designed to meet stricter building requirements while maintaining a clean architectural aesthetic and high visual clarity. The product targets the growing demand for collision-mitigation glazing in North America, specifically aligning with the Threat Factor ≤25 benchmark required by New York City Local Law 15 and other US municipal codes.

UV pattern on Surface 1, laminated control on Surface 2

Bird1st™ UV is engineered around a human-centric approach: it remains extremely subtle to occupants while being highly detectable to birds. Guardian applies a patterned UV-reflective coating on the exterior surface (Surface 1), a placement widely considered the most effective configuration for bird-friendly materials. According to Guardian, the patterned coating reflects upwards of 75% of the UV spectrum.

To further increase contrast in the UV range, Bird1st™ UV includes a laminated interlayer on Surface 2 that absorbs more than 99% of UV light outside the coated pattern zones. Since ultraviolet wavelengths fall outside the visible spectrum for humans, the pattern stays discreet while supporting open, uninterrupted views and a unified façade appearance.

Non-directional pattern + jumbo formats to improve fabrication yields

A key update is the pattern itself: it is non-directional, which allows more efficient optimization during cutting and layout. Bird1st™ UV is offered in multiple large sheet sizes:

• Split jumbo: 130 in × 102 in
• Jumbo: 130 in × 204 in
• Super jumbo: 130 in × 240 in

Guardian notes that the combination of larger dimensions and a non-directional layout can improve cutting yields during fabrication and help reduce the installed cost of insulating glass units versus the earlier generation of Bird1st UV.

Approved with key SunGuard low-E coatings

Bird1st™ UV has been approved by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) when combined with a broad selection of Guardian SunGuard low-E products, including:

SNX 70+, SNX 60+, SNX 62/27, SNX 51/23, SN 68, and Neutral 78/65

It is available on both Guardian UltraClear® low-iron glass and Guardian Clear® glass, giving architects and façade designers flexibility across light transmission targets, energy performance levels, and visual tone.

Beyond collision mitigation, Guardian highlights that the laminated build-up can deliver additional project value, including improved sound control and enhanced security performance, depending on the final makeup.

North America focus, with European coating testing underway

While the launch focuses on North American code compliance, Guardian confirms Bird1st™ UV has also been tested in combination with several European SunGuard coatings, supporting international teams working across regions and enabling consistency when specifications span multiple markets.

Industry momentum behind bird-friendly glazing

Guardian Glass confirms that demand is rising quickly as project teams attempt to balance architectural intent with emerging compliance requirements.

We’re seeing a steady rise in demand for bird-friendly glazing as awareness of collision risks continues to grow.

said Alan Kinder, Director of Commercial Demand Creation, North America.

Guardian also emphasized the technical complexity of delivering near-invisible bird protection while meeting code thresholds, with Suresh Devisetti, Vice President of Global Product & Sector Management, pointing to advanced material science and precision pattern design used to pass ABC testing processes.

With Bird1st™ UV, Guardian positions its newest product as a code-ready solution that supports façade transparency, energy-efficient performance packages, and measurable collision mitigation, without the visual compromise typically associated with patterned bird-safe glass.