Swift bricks: what’s all the fuss about?

Extra faff or something the construction industry should be embracing?

Swift bricks have been in the news recently, following a debate in parliament about whether their use should be mandated in new homes.

So, what are they and should developers be embracing them?

Placed under roofs, swift bricks are hollow bricks that can be used by swifts and other birds, such as house martins, swallows, and starlings, for nesting. Swift numbers have declined by around 60% since 1995 and that has partly been attributed to fewer crevices in buildings where they would once have nested This is mainly due to blocking up or eradicating gaps for energy efficiencies.

Swift bricks are not the only nature supporting materials you can use either; bat boxes and house sparrow nest boxes do a similar job in supporting these populations.

The pros and cons

Swift boxes are inexpensive (from around ￡25 each), don’t compromise energy efficiency, and have been proven to work. In case you’re squeamish, they don’t allow birds or bats to access inside the house, so there’s no need to worry about finding a bat colony in your loft! On the face of it, it seems like a no brainer, so why consider mandating use; surely everyone can see the advantages?

Well, there are some concerns among developers around installing them but it’s not to do with the bricks themselves, it’s due to the requirement to use an ecologist that accompanies installation. Many perceive that this adds costs and delays, which can be a barrier. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Making eco-measures work for developers, nature, and homeowners

At Farrar Bamforth Architecture, we believe that measures such as these make a positive contribution and is a minimum environmental consideration that developers should be including in their new builds. After all, it’s in the National Planning Policy Framework that new buildings should be making net bio-diversity gains, and this adds towards to that.

Plus, the ecologist aspect does not, despite perceptions to the contrary, have to be onerous or expensive. We have installed various wildlife supporting enhancements and we find that they are seen as a real positive by homeowners; allowing them to do their bit for nature. You can see here, a house that we designed, fitted with bat boxes and a swift nest box.

Mandated ethically but not legally

The outcome of the debate was that the government doesn’t, at present, have plans to mandate the use of swift bricks nationally and say that those decisions should be taken by planners at a local level. That said, we would highly recommend that developers get on board with these strategies now as there is a sound ethical case for doing so and few real barriers. Plus, we very much foresee that this will be something that will happen eventually and it’s always good to be an early adopter.

Need help?

We can help developers or builders to integrate measures like this into their builds and do it properly, without fuss. Contact us on 01484 424008 to discuss what you need.