Real-Time Energy Source-Switching Homes (RTESSH): A Critical, Philosophical, and Culturally-Informed Pathway for Responsible Implementation in Islamic Communities

This paper explores Real-Time Energy Source Switching Homes (RTESSH) as an innovative, interdisciplinary model for advancing energy sustainability—particularly within culturally and ethically rich contexts such as Islamic communities. RTESSH refer to residential systems equipped with intelligent control architectures capable of dynamically switching between multiple energy sources (e.g., grid electricity, solar, wind, and battery storage) to optimize consumption, reduce emissions, and enhance comfort. While their technical potential is well-established, the paper critically examines significant socio-technical challenges, including rebound effects, privacy concerns, cultural resistance, and digital inequality.Through a critical review of current research and integration of Islamic ethical principles (e.g., hikmah, maslahah, adl, israf), the study argues for a paradigm shift from technocentric solutions to culturally responsive, socially equitable, and ethically grounded implementations. It introduces a Culturally Informed Technology Acceptance Model (CITAM), emphasizing family dynamics, religious norms, and community values, and underscores the role of Islamic finance in ensuring equitable access through models such as mudarabah and waqf.Key findings reveal that technological optimization alone is insufficient. RTESSH must be designed as complex socio-technical systems that integrate user autonomy, adaptive policymaking, and interdisciplinary governance. Smart homes, when uncritically deployed, risk amplifying consumption, undermining privacy, and marginalizing vulnerable populations. However, when grounded in local values and supported by robust policy, financial, and educational frameworks, RTESSH can serve as transformative instruments for ethical energy transitions.Ultimately, the paper advocates for a holistic framework combining advanced energy technologies with philosophical, social, and religious values—positioning RTESSH as both a technical solution and a cultural project aligned with sustainability and justice.

کلیدواژه ها:

Smart homes ، RTESSH ، Islamic environmental ethics ، energy justice ، socio-technical systems