Thanks to advances in smart metering devices (SM), the electricity sector is undergoing a series of changes, among which it is worth highlighting the ability to control the response to all events that occur in the electricity grid with the intention of making it more smart. Predicting electricity consumption data is a key factor for the energy sector in order to create a completely intelligent electricity grid that optimizes consumption and forecasts future energy needs. However, it is currently not enough to give a prediction of energy consumption (EC), but it is also necessary to give the prediction as fast as possible so that the grid can operate in the shortest possible time. An approach for developing EC prediction systems is introduced here by the use of artificial neural networks (ANN). Differently from other research studies on the subject, a divide-and-conquer strategy is used so that the target system’s execution switches from one to another specialized small models that forecast the EC of a building within the time range of one hour. By simultaneously processing a large amount of data and models, a consequence of implementing them in parallel with TensorFlow on GPUs, the training procedure proposed here increases the performance of the classic time series prediction methods, which are based on ANN. Leveraging the latest generation of ANN techniques and new GPU-based architectures, correct EC predictions can be obtained and, as the experimentation carried out in this work shows, such predictions can be obtained quickly. The obtained results in this study show a promising way for speeding up big data processing of building’s monitoring data to achieve energy efficiency.

Forest fires pose a significant threat worldwide, with Algeria being no exception. In 2020 alone, Algeria witnessed devastating forest fires, affecting over 16,000 hectares of land, a phenomenon largely attributed to the impacts of climate change. Understanding the severity of these fires is crucial for effective management and mitigation efforts. This study focuses on the Akfadou forest and its surrounding areas in Algeria, aiming to develop a robust method for mapping fire severity. We employed a comprehensive approach that integrates satellite imagery analysis, machine learning techniques, and geographic information systems (GIS) to assess fire severity. By evaluating various remote sensing attributes from the Sentinel-2 and Planetscope satellites, we compared different methodologies for fire severity classification. Specifically, we examined the effectiveness of reflectance indices-based metrics such as Relative Burn Ratio (RBR) and Difference Burned Area Index for Sentinel-2 (dBIAS2), alongside machine learning algorithms including Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), implemented in ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0. Our analysis revealed promising results, particularly in identifying high-severity fire areas. By comparing the output of our methods with ground truth data, we demonstrated the robust performance of our approach, with both SVM and CNN achieving accuracy scores exceeding 0.84. An innovative aspect of our study involved semi-automating the process of training sample labeling using spectral indices rasters and masks. This approach optimizes raster selection for distinct fire severity classes, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in classification. This research contributes to the broader understanding of forest fire dynamics and provides valuable insights for fire management and environmental monitoring efforts in Algeria and similar regions. By accurately mapping fire severity, we can better assess the impacts of climate change and land use changes, facilitating proactive measures to mitigate future fire incidents.