The reality of spatial plans is delaying the growth of sustainable buildings

Urban planning aims to organize the change carried out in the territory. Urban planning is country policy in force by legislation and is materialized in spatial plans. All building construction has to comply with the models and regulation established in spatial plans. The aim of this study was to realize if spatial plans are using regulations and space occupancy models that promote energy and water conservation in buildings. The study starts with a brief approach to main design principals, which have to be addressed to achieve energy and water conservation in buildings. After that, a survey, in 20 spatial plans for 7 different Portuguese cities, was conducted in order to find out how many of these features are implemented in the plans. It was concluded that the rules set by the spatial plans reviewed, do not intent energy or water conservation in buildings. Communally the rules are based on urban and building quantification. It is important to realize that this type of regulations are out dated and do not promote sustainable buildings.