4.0 Optimise and reduce energy consumption

4.01. Foster energy savings and efficiency
This is the most general principle for evaluating this criterion and can be used to gauge the level of interest in the subject. It was hoped that several references would be found, although of varying quality and precision.

4.02. Adapt the urban morphology to bioclimatic conditions
This is also a factor of design and is therefore difficult to consider in a legislative text. Neither does it appear explicitly in the guides and recommendations consulted. However, it is necessary that the planner provides those who are going to build the city with the necessary means for constructing bioclimatic buildings and outdoor areas that are adapted to the local environmental conditions. Inadequate planning can often hinder this. As an example, we can cite the urban-planning regulations which permit the same building depth on all four sides of a closed block, this means that the south, north, east and west sides would have to have their own specific requirements.

4.03. Make use of sunlight and wind for housing and outdoor spaces.
This criterion appears to be very closely related to the previous one and is therefore also a design parameter and as such is difficult to consider in a legislative text. However, in this case it can be considered to be a fairly precise indirect regulation, at both a national (Technical Building Code) and regional level. Nevertheless, these indirect references have not been considered as they are already included under other points.

4.04. Urban structures compatible with central-heating systems
There is no doubt about the energy saving potential of centralised heating systems and the need to start acquiring this type of feature. However, in many cases this is not possible, or is very complicated to achieve, if the necessary space, pipes and connection systems have not been stipulated in the town planning documentation.

4.05. Foster the use of renewable energy sources
Through solar panels, biofuels and other systems. This has been analysed alongside criterion 4.06 (foster local energy production) as, in some cases, the use of solar panels has been considered as local energy production while in others it has not. This fostering of the use of renewable energy resources can be easily included in the regulations.

4.06. Foster local energy production
Solar panels, mainly in buildings. Those energy sources that are understood to be installed nearby. The need for a parallel analysis of both points has already been mentioned in the previous point. In any case, this increase in local energy production that, apparently, fits easily with the regulations, could in practice entail some problems in terms of interference with certain urban design regulations. This is the case, for example, with the Catalan Landscapes Law regarding solar panels being placed undercover or on building fronts.

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