Table Rock visitor center certified LEED-Gold

The Dewey Short Visitor Center overlooking Table Rock Lake last week was certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Gold facility.

The designation represents the second-highest rating given by the  U.S. Green Building Council.

“The building materials were chosen considering their environmental impact, with an emphasis on nontoxic, recycled content, locally sourced and manufactured,” said Greg Oller, U.S. Corps of Engineers manager for Table Rock Lake, in a news release. “The building uses approximately 40 percent less water and 40 percent less energy than other facilities of this size.”

The Corps of Engineers-owned visitor center's green features include a heating and cooling system utilizing water from the lake; water-efficient systems such as bioswales and low site maintenance via the use of native plants; recycling and environmentally friendly cleaning products; and educational programs.

The approximately $7.9 million, 15,000-square-foot Dewey Short Visitor Center in Branson replaced the original facility built in 1975. The new center opened in April 2012. It is named after former U.S. Rep. Dewey Short, who lobbied for the 1959 construction of Table Rock Dam, which created Table Rock Lake.