For preliminary assessment of expediency of underground placement of structures with different purposes a criterion was developed that allows a comparison of energy expenses for creation and maintenance of normative microclimate parameters in the underground structure and its surface equivalent. Provided are examples of usage of the criterion in assessment of efficiency of construction of underground storages and refrigerators in different climate zones. An assessment of reliability of use of the criterion with random (stochastic) initial data was conducted. It was demonstrated that the use of the criterion in engineering practice is possible with both deterministic and stochastic character of initial data. It was determined that in many practically relevant cases, the underground placement of coolers allows to achieve decrease in operating costs of maintaining normative parameters of microclimate beginning already with the first year of the structure’s exploitation. Over time, the efficiency increases, and the lower the normative temperature of storing the goods, the higher the energy efficiency of underground location as opposed to surface placement of the storage