Because of the current trends in buildings which favor a higher window to wall area ratio, the impact of fenestration on the indoor environment has become crucial. New technologies appearing in the market make windows an active tool in controlling visual and thermal comfort, while allowing for energy generation through renewable sources such as photovoltaics. 
The goal of this study is to present a control strategy for an integrated venetian blinds system within a triple glazed window with bifacial silicon photovoltaic cells on the outer glazing to optimize occupant visual comfort within a one-person office space. To achieve this, four objectives were considered. First, a visual transmittance model was developed to mimic the real-life behavior of the window under clear and cloudy conditions. The model was then integrated into a control strategy that uses the fenestration as an active tool for ensuring optimal visual comfort for office related activities, while reducing the energy used for heating by controlling passive solar gains. The control strategy determines the optimal blind tilt angle at each time step based on the outdoor climate conditions and occupancy schedule of the space. Next, the model and control strategy output were validated using measured data from an outdoor test-room representing an office space in Montreal, Quebec. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the impact of physical parameters of the indoor environment on the visual comfort of the occupants. The window to wall ratio, the reflectance of the surfaces, and the room geometry were analyzed through simulation. 
Using the control strategy, the results show that under clear sky conditions, the space can be self-sufficient in terms of illuminance levels but deals with certain levels of glare throughout the day. However, even though glare is imperceptible throughout the occupancy period under cloudy sky conditions, the illuminance levels do not reach the required 300 lux threshold for 23% of the day, requiring the integration of an artificial lighting source to fill in the missing gap to achieve the needed levels. In terms of physical properties of the space, it was found that an increase in the room dimensions leads to a decrease in illuminance levels, while a decrease in window to wall ratio also has the same impact. The surfaces reflectance also affects visual comfort, since highly reflective surfaces increase the work plane illuminance compared to more opaque surfaces. Overall, the control strategy presented in this work can be scalable and applicable to any type of office space that uses a similar advanced fenestration system.