Troutville, VA – Roanoke Cement Company (RCC) was a Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award silver honoree on March 28th at the 33rd Annual Environment Virginia Symposium hosted by Virginia Military Institute Center for Leadership and Ethics. The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards recognize successful and innovative efforts that improve Virginia’s environment. The awards program is run by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and recognizes organizations or facilities that can document the success of their sustainability program.
“We are pleased to recognize Roanoke Cement as our silver medal winner and top industrial sustainability program applicant for the 2023 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards,” said Meghann Quinn, Manager, Office of Pollution Prevention, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. “RCC was honored for its outstanding energy management accomplishments and other environmental initiatives like total waste reduction but the sustainability innovation and total involvement of workers from top to bottom really caught our attention.”
The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards – Sustainability Category, recognizes applicants that meet the needs of the present while minimizing future impacts. Applicants were graded on their environmental results, cost savings and other economic benefits derived from sustainability programs, internal involvement in planning, development and implementation, and the applicant’s leadership and innovation.
“Our entire organization is extremely proud that the Governor and the VADEQ has awarded RCC an environmental excellence medal for sustainability,” said Kevin Baird, President of Titan America’s Mid-Atlantic Business Unit. “As a mining and manufacturing company, we recognize that sound environmental practices and continuous improvement serve our employees, customers, community, and all stakeholders. We are motivated by this recognition and pledge our continued commitment to the effort.”
Located on 2,500 acres in the Appalachian Mountains, near the limestone deposits required for cement manufacturing, RCC is the only cement plant in the Commonwealth of Virginia. RCC’s acute attention to sustainable practices and environmental excellence is tied to its expansive campus and the natural beauty surrounding the plant.
RCC has made great strides within the last five years in areas of air quality, water management, energy- savings, waste minimization, and wildlife habitat reclamation. RCC has worked with EPA ENERGY STAR, ISO 50001 Energy Management, Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) TRUE Zero Waste and the Portland Cement Association and developed environmental and energy saving strategies and measures for its performance and achievements.
RCC earned 16 consecutive EPA ENERGY STAR honors and is one of only two cement plants in the country to meet the ISO 50001 standard. (The other is its sister plant, Pennsuco.) With significant alternative fuels use and a recipient of GBCI Zero Waste certification at the gold level, RCC was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council. RCC has completely transitioned from ordinary portland cement to Type IL portland-limestone cement, which has approximately 15% lower carbon impact.
“RCC’s trout pond with fishing dock, beehives, Catawba Creek Cleanup annual event and stream bank improvement program with 16,000 trees planted demonstrate our innovation and culture of environmental sustainability,” said Lindsey Layman, Environmental Manager at RCC. “Our team has hosted many groups and plant tours; most recently the National Association for Women in Construction’s Roanoke Valley Chapter.”
Roanoke Cement is a subsidiary of Titan America. Its family of companies are leading heavy building materials producers in the Eastern United States. Titan America is headquartered in Norfolk, VA and its subsidiary companies produce cement, aggregates, ready mixed concrete, concrete block, and beneficiated fly ash. Titan America is a member of TITAN Cement Group, an international cement and building materials producer. The Group employs about 5,500 people and is present in more than 15 countries. Throughout its 120-year history, it has aspired to serve the needs of society, while contributing to sustainable growth with responsibility and integrity. For more information, visit www.titan-cement.com.
