Underground housing, underground businesses, etc. Would that be better for the environment + possibly save on energy costs? Also possibly safer in certain scenarios like tornadoes etc.
Potential issues that immediately come to mind are ventilation, earthquakes, and flooding. But it’s not like underground dwellings/basements/etc. aren’t a thing, so maybe those issues have been addressed in ways I’m not familiar with.
Better? Probably not. Maybe it eventually starts making more sense with extreme temperatures.
I would be interested, but looking at the cost of something as remote as Whittier, AK does not inspire confidence. Though even if it were non-monetary, I still probably couldn’t pull my own weight. (also getting there, social compatibility etc)