A red-shouldered hawk with a broken humerus bone and a fox squirrel with head trauma have been recuperating in recent weeks at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.
The nonprofit will provide up to $2 million to support the"net-zero energy" project -- meaning the new clinic and visitor center will produce at least as much energy as it consumes. The foundation has awarded grants to help schools, affordable housing complexes, wastewater treatment plants and municipal offices go net zero. Buildings must, at a minimum, offset their energy consumption with renewable sources of power.
"It's a commitment for your long-term agency to save dollars, to show leadership," DuPage County Forest Preserve President Daniel Hebreard said."In the end, the environment is the big winner because we know we need to get away from fossil fuels."
The building will be landscaped with drought-tolerant plantings. Wight & Company, a district-hired firm, also designed the building to maximize natural light and blend in with the natural surroundings. Special glass will keep birds from striking windows.