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Nature-inclusive building requires knowledge of animal species and proper incorporation into the design. At Aurora, Van Wijnen joined forces with Vivara Pro for this purpose. The company supplied facilities for swifts for this project and provided advice on placement, sizing and compensation around the renovation.
Renovations often remove existing nesting space in facades and roofs. The habitats for protected species such as the house sparrow, swift or bat must be compensated. Commercial consultant Ecology and Biodiversity Frank Peeters describes Vivara Pro's solutions: from advice to production.
Vivara Pro provides nesting devices, including built-in bricks, developed with experts and nature organizations. Those nesting boxes must meet set, national guidelines. Peeters: “They are tailored to the animal. The entrance opening, floor height and interior space must be correct.” The company also advises on placement in relation to wind direction.
For this project, Vivara Pro also advised on the placement and implementation of swift facilities before and during renovations. “With swifts, this can be cleverly planned around the season because the species leaves in the fall and returns in late spring. That way the population is maintained during and after the renovation.” The recessed brick chosen matches the masonry. “It's a three-layer brick, so it fits the masonry perfectly. You only see the front of the nest box.” The depth of the cavity also plays a role in renovations. These are often narrower than in new construction. That's why Vivara Pro also offers variants for this type of existing facade.
Production is done in-house, based on in-house designs created in collaboration with conservation organizations. “We produce the wood concrete cabinets ourselves. We control the whole production process with three European factories and so we can always deliver from stock, even for large quantities or customization.” But Vivara Pro looks broader than individual cabinets. The company works on a total package, from green roofs, native planting and facade greenery to toad steps and natural pest control. The goal is to create an area where even protected species can truly thrive.
That includes more and more data. The company is working on AI monitoring, supporting research on monitoring presence and routes of various bat species in an area. Those insights can help municipalities offer ecological advice in future renovations more easily. “This is how we contribute to biodiversity in a broad sense,” she says.”
