A new bill proposed by NYC Council members Tiffany Cabán and Shaun Abreu would require large buildings to retrofit windows with bird-friendly materials by 2030, aiming to reduce the estimated 250,000 bird deaths from window collisions annually. The mandate expands on 2020’s Local Law 15, which only applied to new or altered buildings, exempting existing structures due to cost concerns. The Real Estate Board of New York is skeptical of the legislation, citing the high costs of bird-safe glass—ranging from 3% to 50% more—and potential delays in construction. Some buildings, like Circa Central Park, have already faced challenges with bird collisions.
NYC Council members Tiffany Cabán
