How Marley supports birds bats and bees in re-roofing
Many protected species, including all UK bat species, certain birds like swifts and even some insects, roost or nest in buildings. Re-roofing is vital for improving the energy efficiency of homes, preventing leaks and addressing structural issues. But alongside challenges like budget constraints and construction timelines, specifiers increasingly face another: protecting local biodiversity.
For social housing providers in particular, it’s essential to balance environmental responsibility and sustainability with the need to maintain safe, warm homes. This includes complying with legal protections for species such as bats, birds and pollinators – many of which find shelter in older housing stock and are often only discovered once work has begun.
From adapting our roofing systems to allow safe bat access to incorporating environmental responsibility in our manufacturing practices, we’re here to help make wildlife-friendly re-roofing both practical and achievable.
The challenge of wildlife in re-roofing projects
Numerous protected species, such as all bat species native to the UK, select bird species like swifts, and certain insects, are known to roost or nest within buildings. Their presence can significantly affect project timelines, especially when strict protections are in place.
Depending on the species, it may be illegal to disturb, remove or block access to them or their habitat. Since wildlife often goes unnoticed until re-roofing is underway, work must usually pause until ecologists and relevant authorities determine how to proceed.
This can create a difficult situation for contractors and residents alike. That’s why early awareness, suitable product choices and the ability to respond quickly are all crucial.
Protecting bats in re-roofing projects
All bats in the UK are protected under both UK and European legislation. Their roosts, whether active or not, are legally safeguarded. This means it’s an offence to disturb or obstruct them during roofing works.
Until recently, few roofing products existed to support bat welfare. Recognising this gap, Marley collaborated with ecologists and local authorities to develop a discreet, easy-to-fit bat access tile. It allows safe entry to roosting spaces without compromising the performance or aesthetics of the roof system.
Although not a stock item, Marley’s Bat Tile is available to order for projects where bat access is required.
With regards to bat friendly specifications, Marley are aware that woven underlays are harmful to bats, as their claws can get stuck in the micropores and the bats are sometimes unable to free themselves. Where existing or potential bat roosting is identified, our standard specifications can be changed from our vapour permeable membranes to a bitumen based felt or other bat friendly underlay.
The Marley Bat Tile – designed with input from ecologists
Our Bat Tile is based on the Duo Edgemere interlocking concrete slate roof tile and includes a 20x50mm entrance aperture, a protective hood and a granulated landing surface to help bats grip and land safely. It can be installed just like a standard tile and blends visually with the rest of the roof.
The design was reviewed and refined in partnership with Daniel Best, Senior Ecologist at Ecus Ltd. His input led to improvements such as a shortened baffle to increase the usable entrance space and more effective granules for grip and camouflage.
On reviewing the second iteration of our Bat Tile, Daniel’s response was positive: “We’re really pleased with it,” he said: “The baffle being reduced in size makes a nice space for the bats to enter and the bottom half of the tile is nice and grippy for bats to land on,” he added, noting that he didn’t think any further changes would be required.
Supporting the bat population through real-world projects
One of the first applications of Marley’s bat access tile was in Sheffield, where we worked closely with Sheffield City Council and Ecus Ltd. The council required a roofing solution that would provide safe access for local bats while meeting their re-roofing specification.
By collaborating closely with the council and the appointed ecologist, Marley was able to provide a cost-effective and fully compliant solution. Since then, Sheffield City Council has gone on to use the Bat Tile to provide access across multiple projects.
Another successful example was a project led by engineering and design consultancy AtkinsRéalis. Concerned about the suitability of ridge products for bat habitats, they reached out to Marley for advice.
We confirmed that our RidgeFast Dry Ridge System, which uses non-woven polypropylene membranes, includes a ventilated ridge roll, ridge tiles and other components, is suitable for use on buildings with bats. Although RidgeFast is a closed system that doesn’t allow direct bat access, it can be used effectively with our Bat Tiles to provide a complete system.
Roofing solutions for protected birds and insects
While bats require long-term habitat protection, other wildlife species present fewer complications.
- Birds – Many birds, including swifts and house sparrows, nest in roofs or under eaves. Most are protected during nesting season, meaning work must pause until chicks have fledged.
- Bees and pollinators – Bees found in roof spaces are not usually protected by law but should be removed by a specialist and rehomed where possible. This helps preserve vital pollinator populations.
In both cases, it’s important to fully seal the roof afterwards with appropriate detailing and products like the Marley Eaves Vent System, which is designed to prevent animals from entering the roof void. Some clients also opt to install bird boxes or bug hotels nearby to encourage biodiversity without impacting the roof structure.
Supporting biodiversity through responsible manufacturing
At Marley, we know that protecting biodiversity means more than designing and manufacturing products like the Bat Tile. That’s why we’ve taken additional steps to protect local wildlife, from installing bat boxes and bug hotels at our sites to safeguarding newt habitats at our quarry in Keele.
While these activities may not be directly related to re-roofing, they reflect our values as a manufacturer and our focus on supporting specifiers who care about environmental impact across the supply chain.
If your re-roofing project has an animal welfare issue, get in touch to discuss how we can support the project. Whether you're working under planning restrictions, responding to an ecological survey or simply want to make sure you're doing the right thing, Marley has the experience, flexibility and technical expertise to help.