The impact of advanced glazing on colour perception

Abstract

The aim of this study was to expand the understanding of modern glazing materials’ effects on the perception of colours. To this end, the appearance of eight standard CIE test colour samples were evaluated in a sequence of experimental conditions. The experiment was carried out in the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) artificial sky, which mimicked skylight using correlated colour temperatures: 2700K, 6500K and 8000K. Three high-tech glazing types were used in five different transmittance scenarios. The experiment involved 21 participants, who were exposed to a simultaneous matching procedure whereby the test colour samples, arranged in a Mondrian-like pattern, were positioned on the inside and outside of a scale model, representing real rooms scaled 1:5. Colorimetric measurements were taken with a spectroradiometer. ANOVAN was used for statistical analysis. The findings indicated that all of the glazing types studied had a statistically significant impact on the perception of colours. The strongest impact registered was for reddish colours observed through Electrochromic glass in the low-transmittance state (fully coloured).