Subjective Perception and Acceptance of Low-Level Haze in Architectural Glazing under Varying Viewing Conditions

Abstract

Haze in glazings critically influences the visual and functional performance of building façades. When haze defects occur, glazings are often replaced, leading to unnecessary material waste. Several factors affect occupants’ perception and acceptance of haze, yet systematic methods for its evaluation in architectural applications remain underdeveloped. This study investigates human acceptance and perception of haze in glazings under varying lighting and view conditions. Two types of subjective tests were conducted: one evaluating absolute perception of view clarity, and another comparing the relative perception of two glazing samples presented side by side. Experiments were carried out in a mobile laboratory environment that allowed controlled variation of light direction, intensity, and view characteristics. Subjective results were compared with objective haze measurements obtained from a previously proposed methodology. Findings reveal that both view content and relative position of glazings significantly influence perceived clarity and acceptance of haze defects, offering insights for façade design and assessment.