Underground Houses Explained: Why Building Underground is the Future of Sustainable Living in Europe

What Exactly Is an Underground House?

An underground house, often referred to as an earth-sheltered home, is a residential structure built partially or entirely below the surface of the ground. Unlike traditional homes, these houses leverage the natural insulating properties of the earth to maintain comfortable temperatures year-round without relying heavily on artificial heating or cooling systems.

The Environmental Advantages of Underground Houses

1. Natural Temperature Regulation: Comfort Without the Cost

Underground houses benefit from one of nature’s most effective energy systems, the earth itself. The surrounding soil acts as a natural thermal buffer, maintaining interior temperatures between 21 to 24°C for most of the year. This creates a consistently comfortable living environment without relying on air conditioning or complex climate control systems.

In moderate or Mediterranean climates like northern Italy or coastal France, homeowners often need to heat their underground homes for only a few weeks each winter, and cooling is entirely unnecessary. Even in colder regions such as Austria, Switzerland, or southern Germany, Talpa House clients report heating for just 90 days a year on average which is a fraction of what traditional homes require.

By comparison:

Standard homes often need 150 to 200 days of active heating per year, depending on the region
Even above-ground passive houses typically require 120 to 150 days of heating
Underground homes can cut heating demand by up to 60 percent or more

The key lies in the thermal mass effect. The surrounding earth absorbs warmth from sunlight, people, and appliances during the day and slowly releases it as temperatures drop. In colder seasons, this stored heat buffers the home against freezing temperatures. In summer, the earth insulates the home against external heatwaves, preventing overheating.

The result is a home that not only feels stable and quiet inside but also significantly lowers energy bills, mechanical complexity, and environmental impact.

2. Resilience and Safety: A Shelter Built to Withstand the Unexpected

In an era of climate extremes, whether wildfires, record floods, or increasingly powerful storms, homeowners are seeking not just comfort but lasting protection. Modern underground homes, when designed with monolithic concrete shells and covered by layers of earth, offer a level of structural resilience that is difficult to match. These homes function like reinforced bunkers, yet are crafted for long-term beauty, comfort, and everyday livability.

These homes are:

Tornado-proof: No exposed roofs to lift or blow away.
Flood-resistant: Water flows naturally around the sloped earth covering the house.
Earthquake-resilient: The structure moves with the earth, not against it.
Fireproof: Concrete and earth don’t burn, making the house ideal even in fire-prone regions like southern Europe.

In fact, in Switzerland and northern Italy, where landslides and heavy snow loads are serious concerns, underground homes have proven to be more stable than traditional above-ground structures. You can think of them as a modern-day fortress, built not out of fear, but to provide lasting peace of mind.

“If a tree falls on your roof, you don’t need repairs. You just remove the tree and flatten the earth again. It’s that simple.”
Martin Pribila, Talpa House Founder

From a security perspective, underground homes also have fewer access points, which makes them significantly harder to break into. This adds another layer of protection and comfort for families and those living in remote locations.

3. Minimal Carbon Footprint and Eco-friendly Construction

Building a home shouldn’t cost the Earth, literally. Underground homes offer one of the lowest environmental impacts in residential construction, both during the build and over decades of living. At Talpa House, we design homes with the smallest possible CO₂ footprint by combining natural materials with passive energy principles.

We start with recycled concrete, reprocessed from old buildings and refined to meet high standards for waterproofing, strength, and long-term durability. We add clay plasters for natural humidity regulation and rubber membranes that protect against roots and are approved by leading environmental organizations.

But materials are only the beginning.

Underground homes are designed to:

Eliminate the need for air conditioning, even in hot climates, thanks to natural cooling from the surrounding soil
Avoid heat pumps or mechanical ventilation, using passive chimney airflow and stored thermal energy instead
Re-use up to 90% of household water, filtered through a natural root-zone system that cleans greywater for use in garden irrigation or rooftop cooling

Compared to standard homes, our underground homes reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by more than 70% over their lifetime. This supports both climate goals and long-term savings.

If you want to take it even further, you can add photovoltaic panels to make your underground house completely off-grid and energy independent.

👉 Learn more about our recycled concrete, green roof gardens and zero-energy water systems in the video bellow.

How Do Underground Houses Stay Bright Inside?

Bright interiors in our projects Nove Mesto, Banska, and Trnava.

A common misconception about underground houses is that they lack natural light. Modern underground homes, however, are strategically designed with large south-facing windows, skylights, and light tubes, ensuring interiors are flooded with natural daylight. The design also integrates sloped ceilings that optimize daylight penetration, enhancing the indoor environment and reducing the reliance on artificial lighting.

Off-Grid Capabilities with Photovoltaic Panels

Photovoltaic panels at our projects Rohoznik and Trnava.

The stable energy requirements of underground houses make them ideal candidates for off-grid living. With the installation of photovoltaic panels, homes can become completely self-sufficient, eliminating reliance on external energy sources. This setup not only reduces living costs but also ensures uninterrupted power even during outages, making it highly attractive for remote areas and regions seeking independence from the traditional energy grid.

Green Roof Gardens: A Step Further in Sustainability

Green roofs from our projects in Nove Mesto and Banska Stiavnica.

The roofs of underground homes are covered with soil, creating opportunities for vibrant green roof gardens. These gardens enhance insulation, promote biodiversity, naturally filter rainwater, and even provide residents with fresh produce. Such features underscore the harmony between modern living and nature, ideal for environmentally-conscious individuals and families.

Building Underground in Europe: Navigating Local Regulations

Building an underground home in Europe requires more than good design. It demands navigating a maze of local building codes, environmental standards, and bureaucratic processes that vary from one country to another. Understanding these requirements early can save months of delays and unnecessary costs.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect in the key Western European markets:

🇩🇪🇦🇹 Germany and Austria: Efficiency and Engineering Above All

Germany and Austria are known for their rigorous construction standards, especially regarding structural safety and energy performance. In these countries, it is common for underground homes to fall under the same scrutiny as Passive Houses, meaning:

Insulation values must meet or exceed minimum U-value thresholds
Ventilation and air quality systems (or their passive alternatives) must be clearly documented
Waterproofing and drainage systems must adhere to DIN 18195 (Germany) or ÖNORM B 3691 (Austria) standards
Soil pressure resistance and seismic behavior must be calculated and verified

For a smooth permit process, work with architects and engineers who have direct experience with local regulations and documentation processes. In many municipalities, planning approval also includes neighbor consultation and environmental assessments.

🇨🇭 Switzerland: Sustainability Meets Precision

Swiss building regulations are among the most environmentally progressive in the world. Approval requires more than structural compliance - it involves proof that the home contributes to ecological balance and energy neutrality.

Key considerations include:

Use of recycled or low-impact materials
Demonstrated water retention and purification systems, such as rainwater harvesting or root filtration
Integration of green roofs or biodiversity-enhancing features
Energy consumption modeling to ensure the house qualifies as A or A+ on the Swiss energy label

Each canton may have slightly different rules, so early engagement with local authorities and sustainability consultants is essential.

🇮🇹 Italy: Seismic Safety and Sustainable Credentials

In Italy, building underground involves strict adherence to anti-seismic regulations, especially in areas near fault lines such as central and southern regions.

To build an underground home in Italy, you will need:

A certified seismic-resistant structural design, including soil studies and reinforcement plans
Approval from local geotechnical authorities, often requiring several rounds of review
Sustainable building credentials, such as CasaClima, Itaca Protocol, or LEED certifications, which can speed up the permitting process and unlock regional subsidies
Rainwater management and low-water landscaping plans to meet eco-standards

At Talpa House: Regulatory Guidance is Part of Our Process

While building underground offers huge benefits, it also comes with paperwork and regulations that can be intimidating. At Talpa House, we’ve successfully navigated dozens of permitting processes across Europe and maintain local partnerships with engineers, architects, and legal experts in every country where we build.

Whether you’re building in the Alps, the Tuscan hills, or the Austrian countryside, we help ensure that your vision meets every local standard - from the first sketch to the final inspection.

Client Experiences: What Is Living Underground Really Like?

Our clients consistently report positive experiences, highlighting:

Exceptional year-round temperature stability
Reduced noise pollution and enhanced privacy
Significantly lower energy and maintenance costs
Increased sense of safety and harmony with nature

Why Underground Housing is Ideal for Europe's Sustainable Future

Europe continues to lead global efforts towards sustainability, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. Underground houses represent a practical, aesthetically appealing, and financially viable solution. They demonstrate that modern comforts can coexist seamlessly with environmental responsibility.

As European countries increasingly prioritize sustainability, the future of housing lies beneath the surface-quite literally.