In 2013, Bickerdike completed the final two of four buildings that make up Zapata Apartments, participating in the Enterprise Green Communities and Chicago Green Homes Certification programs for all four.

The environmentally sustainable ‘green’ elements will help create a healthy living environment for tenants, give them opportunities to reduce their utilities bills and their family’s impact on the environment.

We believe in Green! Since 2009, we’ve carried out green retrofits in 350 units, and in 2013, we retrofitted our offices with state-of-the-art, high efficiency lighting system bringing Green to our own home.

But Green extends beyond our initial developments. To further engage our tenants in these initiatives, our tenant organizing team facilitated Green Workshops. Participants learned how to clean Green with chemical-free cleaning agents they could make in their own kitchens. Cleaning agents such as Drain Cleaner, Furniture Polish, Carpet Stain Remover, and even an All-Purpose Cleaning Spray.

Tenants were pleasantly surprised at not only the ease of mixing up the items, but at the cost savings.

You can try the recipes at home. Click here for more homemade, chemical-free recipes.