Effects of Semi-transparent Glazing On the Emotions of Office Workers

The use of sunlight has always been a major goal of architects and building owners in the design and operation of commercial buildings to minimize electrical consumption when using artificial lighting. However, glazing systems that are designed to allow optimal visible light transmission also allow significant unwanted direct solar gain. Conversely, glazing systems that are designed to reflect unwanted direct solar heat gain significantly reduce the transmittance of visible light through windows. Semi-transparent window glazing reduces light transmission through windows resulting in unknown effects of the natural illumination of spaces on emotional perceptions of office workers. A survey was administered to assess the emotional effect of office spaces that use semi-transparent glazing as compared to clear glazing during daylight hours. Computer visualization software was used to create animated recordings of an office environment, and a modified lighting approach was used to compute accurate solar irradiance levels for various geographic locations. While an analysis of variance revealed significant differences in satisfaction between groups, the differences did not create negative emotional responses to glazing with lower transmittances.