Darien, Ill. (May 21, 2010)—Wight & Company, a leader in integrated architecture, engineering and construction solutions, is pleased to announce that the firm’s Hidden Oaks Nature Center project in Bolingbrook, Ill., has received the 2010 Merit Award for Construction Projects under $10 Million from the Chicago Building Congress.

The Hidden Oaks Nature Center was one of six projects selected for this honor.  The Bolingbrook Park District facility was designed and built to encourage learning about both the environment and the 17-acre wooden nature area where it is located.  The Hidden Oaks Nature Center achieved the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)^®-NC Platinum Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system—the highest measurement of building sustainability.

“We are proud to be honored with this award and share it with the Bolingbrook Park District and all of our partners involved in completing this project,” said Mark T. Wight, Wight & Company’s chairman and chief executive officer.  “As a pioneer in sustainable design and construction, Wight helps our clients reach the level of sustainability that best suits their needs to deliver significant economic, aesthetic and environmental benefits.”

The Chicago Building Congress Merit Awards celebrate the collaborative effort required by the building process and the impact of that effort upon the community at large. Judging is based upon the distinctiveness of design, quality of construction, impact on the community and safety record.