Evidence for an intimate connection between supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth and the evolution of galaxies is nowadays compelling. Not only have SMBHs been found in many galaxies with a bulge component, but correlations also exist between the black hole mass and some bulge properties, such as the stellar mass and velocity dispersion. The origin of this relation is still an open question, but quasar induced outflows might play a critical role. Hydrodynamical simulations show that the energy output from quasars can regulate the growth and activity of black holes and their host galaxies.

Although very attractive from the theoretical point of view, observational evidence for the dramatic impact that these outflows may have on their host galaxies is far from clear. I shall focus my talk on the studies we are carrying out on outflows in optically selected obscured quasars at z<~0.8. Are outflows ubiquitous in QSO2? What triggers them? Can they influence their environment on galactic, even extra galactic scales? How do the outflows affect the different gas phases?