Maybe not completely underground but digging down several feet so your floor is much warmer in the winter than outside and much cooler in the summer than outside. While underground housing has its many problems (radon and moisture) for temperature control its hard to beat if no energy is being consumed. So I was wondering if there are any examples of people doing this in the Bible. The only one I can think of is when Jesus counselled the people to "build their house on a rock". But this was an example of foundational living and beliefs. Now Israel doesn't get very cold in the winter but its still uncomfortable without heating in the coldest months. And its pretty hot in the summer. So it looks like this would be a smart way to live there. And most everywhere. Most people do this by using a hillside so the house is not really underground but merely bermed so the rear is against the hillside and the front is facing the sun. But now with cheaper excavation techniques and machinery its possible to have all 4 sides surrounded by earth maximizing insulation with natural light pouring in from skylights on the ceiling. This would be an interesting way to live in urban environments as it would be very quiet with a well designed ventilation system. The main advantage to this is almost no energy is used to keep the place at a comfortable temperature.
The real aim for prepping is to be able to have the skills to live simply. Sure you can buy all kinds of equipment but in a catastrophic situation, the best armed people will simply take what they want. And you can't "take" an underground house and not many people can live in one house so its less likely they'll take it over. The smaller it is the less likely they'll toss you out! Another advantage of an underground house is it can be concealed very well so people will need to be right on top of it to notice it if you've lived "quietly" and not clear cut everything around it. Basically you melt into the forest/jungle.
The real aim for prepping is to be able to have the skills to live simply. Sure you can buy all kinds of equipment but in a catastrophic situation, the best armed people will simply take what they want. And you can't "take" an underground house and not many people can live in one house so its less likely they'll take it over. The smaller it is the less likely they'll toss you out! Another advantage of an underground house is it can be concealed very well so people will need to be right on top of it to notice it if you've lived "quietly" and not clear cut everything around it. Basically you melt into the forest/jungle.
