Tunnel-Boring Homes: Scalable Underground Living for a Hotter Climate

As global temperatures rise and Mediterranean summers become increasingly unbearable, it’s time to start looking underground—literally.

We often think of tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) as tools for infrastructure—metro lines, sewage systems, or car tunnels. But what if we repurposed them to dig homes?

Underground housing isn’t a new idea. In Canada, massive subterranean commercial spaces like Toronto’s PATH system allow residents to escape the harshness of winter. People live, work, shop, and commute below the surface for months. What if we applied the same logic to deal with extreme heat rather than cold?

In southern Europe, and particularly in the Mediterranean, the number of heatwaves per year has doubled. Air conditioning use is skyrocketing, putting strain on energy grids and worsening emissions. But underground spaces naturally maintain more stable temperatures—cooler in summer, warmer in winter—making them far more energy-efficient.

By using tunnel-boring technology at scale, we could mass-produce subterranean homes, creating entire communities beneath cities or hillsides. Imagine quiet, naturally insulated dwellings with filtered daylight, immune to the surface chaos of heatwaves and noise.

These wouldn’t be dark bunkers. With modern engineering and materials, underground architecture can be aesthetic, healthy, and inspiring. And importantly, scalable.

As climate realities intensify, we need solutions that are bold, replicable, and resource-efficient. Tunnel-bored housing may be one of them.