The Application of Communication Technology in Smart Residential Communities

Dear Colleagues,

Communication technologies such as remote controls, virtual assistants, and web-based applications are ubiquitous in residential homes and communities. The goal of this Special Issue is to portray innovative approaches highlighting promising applications of communication technologies in residential communities that are aimed at increasing sustainable and environmental behavior and reducing resource consumption. Interdisciplinary research approaches that focus on sociotechnical aspects by integrating technological design and engineering principles in addition to social approaches to environmental behavior are particularly welcome. Successful paradigms that describe community-level interventions and programs and evaluations of specific case studies are also welcomed. Research advances and opportunities that span the individual, household, and community level with respect to the different characteristics and applications of communication technologies will help foster understanding of how new technologies can be used and further developed to increase environmentally friendly behavior and meet sustainability goals. All methodological approaches are welcome, including quantitative analyses, case studies, agent-based simulations, studies on human–computer interaction, game-theoretical approaches to community processes and outcomes, meta-analyses, evaluations of community interventions and programs, and analyses of technological innovations. Papers submitted to this Special Issue on the aforementioned topics, as well as other relevant topics, will be subject to a rigorous peer review process with the aim of rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications.

Example Topics

• integration of technological design and social characteristics
• social engineering and design
• adoption of smart home technologies
• forms and effects of feedback utilizing smart devices
• learning and habituation of energy consumption
• adaptive and individualized behavioral feedback
• communication technology affordances
• emotional displays of technologies
• effects of information representation
• use and effects of virtual assistants (such as Alexa and Siri)
• understanding of attitudes and behaviors, and characteristics of community residents and groups and organizations within the community
• support of sustainable behavior
• technological nudging
• human AI interaction and decision making

Prof. Dr. Torsten Reimer
Prof. Dr. Julia Rayz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.