Each year, the AEC invites public and private entities to the presentation of the ‘Road Honour Medals,’ an event that underscores the value of individuals responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads.  

During the ceremony, held on 5 June at the auditorium of the Higher Technical School of Civil Engineering, Channels, and Ports at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, 20 men and women were awarded the ‘Road Honour Medal.’ Among them, Mar Subarroca, head of Sorigué’s Research and R&D+i Laboratory, stood out.  

At the medal presentation, the AEC highlighted Subarroca’s contribution “to technical progress, innovation, and sustainability in roads from her position leading Sorigué’s R&D+i Laboratory.” It emphasized that “under her leadership, innovative materials have been developed that improve the quality and safety of road surfaces, positioning her laboratory as a benchmark in technical efficiency and environmental commitment.”  

For the AEC, “promoting roads means clearly supporting the people who work on and for them.” This is why the Road Honour Medals carry an inscribed message that encapsulates this spirit: “Better roads for a better world.”  

In the institutional category, the Forum of Provincial Road Managers, Island Councils, and Consells received the gold medal, while the Valencia Provincial Council was given a special mention. For international merit, the gold medal was awarded to CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America. 

Materials Laboratory  

Mar Subarroca has built her professional career at Sorigué, with over 20 years dedicated to researching, designing, and controlling new materials to address road challenges. A technical forestry engineer by profession and passionate about physics by vocation, she began her career in 2000. Since then, she has participated in and later led the development of solutions that positively impact roads and society.  

Sorigué’s Research Laboratory has produced innovations such as Rugofir, a system for applying ultra-thin asphalt mixes that enables road surface rehabilitation at low economic and environmental costs; Neoballast, a high-performance, long-lasting ecological ballast; and Addplast, a bituminous mix incorporating recycled plastic polymers, contributing to the circular economy.  

The laboratory is currently working on projects like Bitsdrain, which investigates porous bituminous mixes for street drainage; Printgreen, which explores the viability of vegetable oils and derivatives as binders for mortar production; and studies on reflective pavements to reduce heat absorption and retention.  

For the Sorigué group, innovation is a cross-cutting pillar of its activity. Since 2010, it has operated a dedicated Research Laboratory focused on advancing knowledge of materials, particularly in the asphalt and aggregates sector.  

To foster innovative and sustainable solutions, the laboratory collaborates with various national and international public and private entities to develop responses to the challenges facing modern cities.