Proceedings of ICT for Sustainability 2016

Sustainable and Smart: Rethinking What a Smart Home is

Authors
Maha Salman, Steve Easterbrook, Samar Sabie, Josie Abate
Corresponding Author
Maha Salman
Available Online August 2016.
DOI
10.2991/ict4s-16.2016.22How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Smart Home, Sustainability, Vernacular Architecture, ICT Systems
Abstract

The term Smart Home typically refers to dwellings augmented with high-tech responsive systems such that heating, air conditioning, lighting, appliances, entertainment outlets, and architectural components are computerized and managed, often via a remote control. Smart homes promise comfort, convenience, and resource conservation in the near future. Yet the notion of increased dependency on technology for comfort and efficiency (and hence, sustainably) needs to be revised. While we (justifi-ably) expect our dwellings to use technological advances to sense and respond to our needs, a growing body of literature [1-5] warns against increased dependencies and amplified complexifi-cation, given the resource depletion anticipated in the future. Through examples and discussions drawn primarily from ver-nacular architecture discourse, this paper addresses this dichot-omy. We investigate how smart homes can be re-defined to better fit sustainability goals while anticipating technology limitations. We introduce members of the ICT4S community to the sustaina-bility potentials of vernacular domestic architecture and inspire them by its smart responses to human needs and harsh condi-tions. And finally, we argue that re-employing tried-and-true vernacular techniques in conjunction with ICT systems can offer smart yet simple and feasible solutions to future housing needs while being inherently more sustainable from an environmental and operational stance.

Copyright
© 2016, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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Volume Title
Proceedings of ICT for Sustainability 2016
Series
Advances in Computer Science Research
Publication Date
August 2016
ISBN
978-94-6252-224-4
ISSN
2352-538X
DOI
10.2991/ict4s-16.2016.22How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2016, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Maha Salman
AU  - Steve Easterbrook
AU  - Samar Sabie
AU  - Josie Abate
PY  - 2016/08
DA  - 2016/08
TI  - Sustainable and Smart: Rethinking What a Smart Home is
BT  - Proceedings of ICT for Sustainability 2016
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 184
EP  - 193
SN  - 2352-538X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/ict4s-16.2016.22
DO  - 10.2991/ict4s-16.2016.22
ID  - Salman2016/08
ER  -