A preliminary investigation of underground residential buildings: Advantages, disadvantages, and critical risks

Owing to the dramatically increased population in metropolises recently, the problem of lacking space has become more critical. To address this issue, most metropolises choose promoting underground space development. Lately, a new idea of constructing underground residential buildings emerges and has attracted considerable attention from authorities. The aims of this study are to investigate the possible advantages and disadvantages of underground residential buildings, and to investigate the critical risks in the constructions of underground residential building projects. To achieve these goals, an empirical questionnaire survey was administered to 30 Singapore-based construction companies. Results showed that “space saving” was the most significant advantage of underground residential buildings, followed by “improved indoor thermal comfort,” “more resistant to external noises,” and “increased level of privacy.” Also, results revealed that “limited access to natural light” was the most severe disadvantage, followed by “high construction cost,” “climate isolation,” “psychological resistance from residents,” “environmental issues,” and “safety concerns.” Additionally, this study disclosed and discussed the top five critical risks of underground residential building projects, including “labor restrictions,” “cost overruns,” “local contractors' competence in underground construction,” “material restrictions,” and “economic fluctuations.” This study has contributed to the body of knowledge by examining the advantages, disadvantages, and critical risks in underground residential building projects innovatively. The findings from this study are also informative to relevant project stakeholders and policy makers from authorities, as these findings can enhance their understandings of such type of buildings and facilitate their decision-makings accordingly.