Wienerberger and EcoSurv design a new home for British bats
(03/05/2010)

Although bats are relatively common in Britain, numbers have declined since the 1960s. They have been designated as a conservation priority and allocated various Species Action Plans. European and UK laws are in force prohibiting killing or injuring bats, and causing disturbance or damage to their habitat. Experts believe this decline is down to the wide-spread use of pesticides, together with changes in farming practice which has drastically reduced the insect prey population and a loss of habitat due to modern methods of construction and felling of old or diseased trees.

It is thought refurbishment of older properties, especially in rural areas, and the development of air tight, new build homes - which lack the usual nooks and crannies - has limited access to traditional roosting sites. With the number of such roosts under threat, developers and contractors are subject to stringent European and UK legislation. All 17 native species are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the UK Conservation Regulations, and the Code for Sustainable Homes promotes their conservation by awarding extra credits under its ecology criteria.

Wienerberger, in conjunction with environmental consultantancy Ecosurv, has designed a new home for one of Britain’s smallest creatures. Wienerberger and EcoSurv have launched an innovative new bat box, providing a comfortable roost for the UK’s native species and helping developers to meet strict conservation standards.

Responding to demand from the construction industry for an environmentally conscious, aesthetically pleasing and cost-competitive solution to the demand for alternative roosting sites for bat colonies, Wienerberger and EcoSurv have developed the new box. Unlike other products on the market the box, which is to be on display at Ecobuild, has been developed specifically for the Pipistrelle bat, but can be easily adapted for the needs of other UK bat species.

Carole Jeffery, director of EcoSurv, said: “This box offers a comfortable and spacious roost featuring a single large internal cavity and innovative V-shaped entry. Both of these design characteristics allow for better control of the internal temperature, a critical factor for these extremely sociable creatures which huddle together for warmth and like their own space when they get too hot.”

Mark Morris, sales and marketing director for Wienerberger in the UK, said the new box has been designed to meet these standards. He said: “All bats are protected in the UK and developers are bound by law to provide appropriate alternative roost sites. With thoughtful planning, bats can be encouraged to remain at old sites and even colonise new ones following the introduction of species-specific, eco-friendly building products.

“The bat box can be used to create a new roost site or enhance existing habitats enabling bats to roost, breed and hibernate. The need for protection is recognised by the Code for Sustainable Homes which offers extra credit for ecological enhancement and the incorporation of suitable solutions. We believe this new design box is the best in terms of conservation and offers the added benefit of fitting in perfectly with the typical British vernacular of brick.”

The Terca Ecosurv bat box encourages use by the Pipistrelle bat, the most common species found in dwellings, but is also suitable for other species such as Natterer’s, Whiskered and Brandt’s bats and can be adapted to open at the rear, allowing access for larger species such as Brown Long Eared bats. More than one bat box can be joined together to increase roosting space and it can be incorporated into the fabric of the building and manufactured to match any existing brick in the Wienerberger range.