EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF SMART GLAZING ON THE VISUAL PERFORMANCE OF OCCUPANTS IN OFFICE BUILDINGS IN OKLAHOMA

Abstract

The design of office spaces increasingly prioritizes visual comfort, occupant well-being, and energy efficiency, with glazing systems playing an important role in balancing daylight access and glare reduction. While dynamic glazing systems, particularly electrochromic (EC) systems, have been extensively researched for their energy benefits, there is still a lack of understanding about how individual tint states of commercially available EC glazing compare to conventional glazing in terms of visual comfort. This study compares and assesses the performance of conventional clear glazing to different tint states of electrochromic glass (e.g., SageGlass) in a simulated office environment in Oklahoma City. The analysis uses a simulation process that includes Revit, Rhinoceros 3D, and ClimateStudio to evaluate key daylighting and visual comfort metrics such as Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and Daylight Glare Probability (DGP). The findings show substantial variation in visual performance between EC tint states, emphasizing the trade-offs between daylight availability and glare mitigation. Intermediate tint levels often provide a more balanced performance, however severe tint levels either increase glare risk or diminish daylight sufficiency. By connecting these findings with LEED Standard criteria, this study provides evidence-based guidance for selecting glazing systems and optimum tint levels that improve visual comfort and enable high-performance office design in solar-heavy zones like Oklahoma.