Norilsk, a city of 170,000 in northern Russia, is mechanically cooling the ground in places to prevent the permafrost from melting. When the permafrost melts, the ground becomes soft and large buildings (like apartment blocks) will sink or tilt. So, about 8 million Euros are being spent to thermally stabilize the ground.
This issue is not unique to Norilsk, but is being seen in northern Scandinavia, Canada, and Alaska. In these areas, buildings are being torn down and constructed with deeper foundations and pilings to prevent softening ground from impacting structural integrity. As parts of the world heat up with climate change, we can expect to see more of this in areas where buildings are constructed what was permanently frozen ground. – Steve Terry, DTC HVAC & Refrigeration Instructor
