We provide information on things to do, places to stay or eat, find directions, and more. The Northwest North Carolina Visitors Center, designed by Raleigh-based architectural firm Innovative Design, is North Carolina Department of Transportation's first "sustainable" building design to implement LEED (Leadership of Energy and Environmental Design). The project has been designed to a LEED Gold standard. The Visitors Center, located about half a mile west of the intersection of US 421 and NC 115, serves a dual purpose: first, as a visitors center for Wilkes County and the Western mountain region of North Carolina, and second, as a highway rest area for Highway 421. The green facility will actively promote educating the general public on sustainable building design, with particular emphasis on energy efficiency and water conservation. By employing a beautiful green trail it also encourages those taking a break from driving to exercise while enjoying the site's natural features. From the building's solar systems, rainwater harvesting, day-lighting and green products to the numerous environmentally-sound site features, the Northwest North Carolina Visitors Center is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to learn more about practical green strategies. At the Visitors Center opening ceremony on October 1st, 2009, Department of Transportation Secretary, Eugene A Conti, Jr., highlighted NCDOT's increased emphasis on sustainable design by stating, "People think DOT's color is either yellow from our trucks or orange from construction cones.
