Alvéole leverages bees on your commercial building to help you boost tenant engagement and achieve your sustainability goals.
Bring nature-based solutions to your building
Chicago, the City of Wind, blends iconic architecture with a deep commitment to green spaces and urban sustainability. The city's pollinator-friendly initiatives and community gardens reflect its dedication to environmental stewardship. Native plants such as prairie blazing star, wild bergamot, and black-eyed Susans thrive here, supporting pollinators and contributing to Chicago's natural beauty.
Use your property to make a lasting impact on your community and city.
Nature-focused amenities
Foster a sense of attachment to the building with bee habitats and branded jars of honey from your own property.
Environmental workshops
From beekeeping 101 to bottling your own honey, you’ll have everything you need to make your building events unforgettable.
Sustainability initiatives
Earn green building certifications, foster environmental awareness, and support nature in the city.
Nature and biodiversity monitoring
Enhance your ESG report and make informed decisions to support biodiversity.
Buildings
Partners
Bee Habitats
24 East Washington
Located in the heart of Chicago's Loop, 24 East Washington is home to a rooftop beehive that has become a cornerstone of the building's sustainability and tenant engagement strategy. Managed by JLL, the program has helped the building win a TOBY Award while giving tenants a unique, hands-on connection to urban nature.
Chicago's Sustainable Chicago plan outlines the city's commitment to becoming more environmentally resilient, with goals around expanding green infrastructure, supporting biodiversity, and reducing carbon emissions across all sectors.
Why choose Alvéole?
Tenant subscriptions & event booking
Tenants subscribe to updates and book workshops directly. Your subscriber list stays current automatically.
Engagement & participation tracking
See attendance rates, repeat participation, and engagement trends by property, ready before renewal conversations.
Content library & templates
Pre-built email templates, event content, and photos, ready to use without building anything from scratch.
Biodiversity & hive data
Nature monitoring data structured for sustainability reports, GRESB submissions, and investor disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
Urban beekeeping in Chicago is regulated by the Chicago Department of Public Health, which requires beekeepers to register their hives and adhere to specific guidelines regarding hive placement and maintenance. These regulations ensure the safety and well-being of both bees and residents. Professional Alvéole beekeepers ensure compliance with all local regulations and best practices.
Urban beekeeping is safe, with many successful bee programs operating throughout Chicago. At Alvéole, we work with a special breed of Italian honey bees selected for their docility. Honey bees are gentle creatures who (almost) never sting without reason. Unless they feel threatened, bees have no motivation to sting – in fact, once they sting, they lose their stinger along with a part of their abdomen, and die.Wild bees are as peaceful as honey bees. They technically can sting, but they don’t. Docile and nonterritorial, they’re extremely gentle. Unless they’re being touched, they simply go about their business.
A bee program supports Chicago’s sustainability initiatives, including the goals outlined in the Chicago Sustainable Development Policy. A bee program promotes urban biodiversity and provides educational opportunities about the importance of pollinators in maintaining healthy ecosystems. This aligns with Chicago’s broader efforts to foster environmental stewardship, promote urban agriculture, and create a more sustainable and resilient city.