Leed & Green

What is LEED?

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Cessford Construction is a pioneer in green facilities:

• RAS – we are leaders across Iowa & Southern Minnesota, with all plants capable of running RAS. 
• RAP – we run 3 milling crews, serving our own companies and other contractors.  All plants consistently run RAP mixes.  ASPHALT IS 100% RECYCLABLE!!!
• WMA – all plants are WMA-capable.  WMA primary benefits:
  • Less fuel consumption
  • Lower emissions
  • Reduced fumes
  • All around, better for our crews, our plant neighbors, and the whole planet!
• Recycled glass.  We have a recycled glass surface in the entry to our River Bend plant (Mankato) and we currently have product on-hand & ready to run at Johnston.
• The OMG Midwest Group has been recognized by our state contractor agencies, APAI & AGC, for our superior environmental training program.

The Future Is Green

Everyone at Cessford Construction Company is striving to be as green as possible is a continuous and  ongoing practice.  Cesssford Construction Company  is aware of the part they play in addressing air quality, water quality and land quality issues. They remain up-to-date on the best practices and policies and implement each of these in their work.  Employees are provided 3 1/2 hours of training teaching them better environmental practices. The information learned is retained for years as shown by evaluations. Post training has shown a lessening of waste and less idling motors. One other positive result of the training is the dramatic decline of violations from 12 in 2009 to zero in 2011.

Improving Air Quality

Spraying water on asphalt and aggregates keep the dust to a minimum, making it safer for our workers and the surroundings by taking that dust out of the environment. We also implement a collection system for dust that also improves the air quality. Our vehicles maintain a "no idle" policy, reducing fuel consumption and air pollution. We improve water quality by controlling water run-off at each site and provide erosion control at each of our site. Wasting water is another concern and we address that issue by using recycled water for washing rock used in concrete by screening.

Recycling

We recycle asphalt shingles and the asphalt pavement that is taken off before a re-do. The used asphalt is recycled on-site by putting it back into the mix. According to 2 studies* recycled asphalt, whe applied and designed properly, perform just as well as teh new pavement. Recycling practices are not limited to use on-site, we also recycle office materials such as cardboard and paper. The used tires from our vehicles and   motor oil is also recycled. We constantly remain up-to-date on new technologies that enable us to provide a more efficiently made product and services while still being aware of the effects we have on our environment.

Green Star Certification

NRMCA Green Star program was designed by the Environmental Task  Group of the Operations, Environmental and Safety Committee(NRMCA-OES) and  recognizes concrete and ready-mix professionals who strive toward environmental excellence and /or try to reduce environmental impact through a certification process. We are proud to say that  by 2012 all of our concrete plants will be NRMCA Green Star certified.

Cessford Construction Company was awarded the ILPA Outstanding Industry Image Improvement by Quarry Beautification-"Best Over All" Category and Reclamation Category for our work on the Heinold Quarry  and the ILPA Outstanding Industry Image Improvement by Quarry Beautification-Reclamation Category for the Geode Quarry.

*Epps, J.A., D.N. Little, and R.J.

Holmgreen, “Guidelines for Recycling
Pavement Materials,” NCHRP Report
No. 224, Transportation Research Board,
Washington, D.C., September 1980.

 Brown, D., “Recycling Practices for
HMA,” Special Report No. 187, National
Asphalt Pavement Association, Lanham,
MD, September 2000, pp. 7-9.