Change timing of building work

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

50%
Certainty

12%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

To reduce disturbance to bats, building work may be avoided at times of year when they are most vulnerable, such as during hibernation and the maternity season.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of changing the timing of building work on bat populations. The study was in Ireland.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)

Use (1 study): One before-and-after study in Ireland found that carrying out roofing work outside of the bat maternity season, along with retaining bat access points, resulted in a similar number of brown long-eared bats continuing to use a roost within an attic.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A before-and-after study in 2004–2008 of one building renovation in Ireland (Aughney 2008) found that carrying out roofing work outside of the maternity season, along with retaining existing bat access points, resulted in a similar number of brown long-eared bats Plecotus auritus using a roost within an attic before and after renovations. Fifteen brown long-eared bats were counted roosting in the attic space of the building before renovation work. After the renovation work, sixteen brown long-eared bats were recorded exiting the roost through the retained access points. The building was an 18^th century Georgian house that had the roofing felt and roof slates replaced. Original access points to the roost within the attic of the building were retained by installing four vents in the ridge tiles. The renovations were completed outside of the maternity season (date not reported). The attic was surveyed once in 2004 before the renovations, and once with an emergence survey in September 2008 after the renovations.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Aughney T (2008) An investigation of the impact of development projects on bat populations: Comparing pre- and post-development bat faunas. Bat Conservation Ireland report.

Please cite as:

Berthinussen, A., Richardson O.C. and Altringham J.D. (2021) Bat Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bat Conservation

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Create or restore bat foraging habitat in urban areas Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	3	Synopsis Link
Plant gardens with night-scented flowers Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link
Retain existing bat roosts and access points within developments Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	3	Synopsis Link