Talking Tag: How Zerodraft Maryland Uses TaskTag to Deliver Energy Efficiency Projects at Scale

Zerodraft Maryland has always been ahead of the curve. Founded in 2008 with the mission to help clients achieve higher-performing, lower-cost, and environmentally friendly buildings, the company has grown from a tight-knit design-build firm into a regional leader in energy conservation services. From multifamily energy audits to commercial LED retrofits, Zerodraft has built a reputation for quality, sustainability, and innovation.

But as their project load and staff grew, so did the operational complexity. Communication breakdowns, documentation gaps, and coordination delays started to show. That’s when they discovered TaskTag, a powerful, all-in-one project management app built specifically for teams in construction, energy, and the field services industry.

This is the story of how Zerodraft streamlined their operations with TaskTag and never looked back.

The Challenges of Project Management at Scale

In recent years, Zerodraft has shifted focus from residential projects to multifamily energy upgrades and commercial lighting retrofits. That pivot introduced new layers of logistical and operational difficulty.

“Multifamily means 200 to 500 units per project. Dorms, apartment complexes, assisted living facilities—there’s a lot to track,” explains Mike Havrilla, a longtime project lead at Zerodraft.

Before TaskTag, their process was scattered across emails, folders, photos saved on hard drives, and inconsistent communication across teams.

Let’s break down the key challenges:

1. Communication Gaps Between Office and Field

Zerodraft crews operate across multiple sites. Project leads like Mike often had to physically check in to monitor progress or ensure tasks were properly completed.

“It was helpful to have a smartphone, but we were still relying on loose photo folders and text messages. You never had a clean, complete view of what was done and where,” says Mike.

This caused frequent back-and-forth, delays, and even rework when communication wasn’t clear between office staff, field techs, and clients.

2. Disorganized Documentation

On large energy efficiency upgrades—especially those that require third-party inspections or QA—documentation is everything. Crews needed to take pre- and post-installation photos, capture wiring conditions, thermostat setups, and ensure proper archiving for later reference.

“Trying to do this with our old method would’ve meant thousands of photos and way too much data to handle. It just wasn’t sustainable,” Mike recalls.

3. Complex Project Coordination

Each multifamily project involved creating hundreds of individual tasks—one for each unit. Without a central platform, this turned into a spreadsheet nightmare.

“There was no easy way to keep track of what unit had been done, which tasks were pending, or what issues popped up,” says Mike.

4. Timesheet Visibility

While not their primary concern, tracking labor hours per unit and overall job timelines was an area ripe for improvement—especially as they scaled. As project volume increased, the need for better visibility into who was working, when, and where became more pressing. That’s where TaskTag’s Timesheets feature came in. It gave crews an easy way to clock in and out on-site, while providing project managers with accurate, real-time labor data broken down by unit or phase.

On top of that, the Calendar Sync feature ensured that any schedule updates—like task shifts or site changes—automatically notified everyone involved. From the office to the field, no one was left guessing. The result? Less time chasing updates, fewer errors, and a more confident grasp of each job’s true timeline and labor cost.

Related Article: How ISC Building Materials Transformed with TaskTag

Implementing TaskTag: One Platform to Manage Everything on the Field

In late 2023, after running into quality assurance issues on a major multifamily project, Zerodraft began searching for a better way to manage field documentation and communication.

They tested a few solutions but found most didn’t offer the structure or usability they needed—until they discovered TaskTag.

“What we really liked about TaskTag was the level of organization,” Mike explains. “Being able to set up a project, then create tasks per apartment or unit, and keep everything—photos, notes, updates—neatly attached to those tasks? That was a game-changer.”

Core TaskTag Features Zerodraft Now Relies On:

• Per-Project Task Management: Create a dedicated task for every apartment or unit.
  
  
• Photo and File Uploads: Capture pre- and post-installation conditions and store them with the relevant task.
  
  
• Team Visibility: Everyone on the project can see what’s been completed, what’s pending, and what needs review.
  
  
• Real-Time Updates: Project managers stay informed without needing to be on-site every day.
  
  
• Easy Onboarding: “We had a new team member from another division jump in. All she had to do was download the app, and she was up and running right away,” says Mike.

Related Article: Dom's Workshop Found the Secret with TaskTag

Quality Assurance with a Construction Camera App: A Real-World Example

On a recent thermostat installation job, Zerodraft needed to track work done across dozens of apartments. For each unit, the crew had to document:

• The existing thermostat and wiring conditions
• The new installation
• Post-installation setup and programming

Mike used TaskTag to create tasks for every single apartment. Field techs uploaded their photos before and after completing the install, providing a full record of work performed.

“If a question came up about wiring or install quality, we had the photos right there. No guessing, no scrambling to find the info,” says Mike.

The system also reduced the need for daily oversight.

“Maybe I travel a little less now, because I know the documentation is solid. It’s been super helpful to have that clarity and assurance.”

Related Article: How InTown Homes Reinvented Field Coordination and Documentation with TaskTag

Time Saved, Errors Reduced, Stress Down with One Project Management App

With TaskTag in place, Zerodraft has noticed several key improvements:

• Reduced time spent sorting photos: No more dragging and dropping into folders or renaming files manually.
  
  
• Fewer communication errors: Tasks and updates are centralized, so nothing gets lost in texts or emails.
  
  
• Streamlined new-hire onboarding: TaskTag is easy enough for new users to learn in minutes.
  
  
• Higher confidence in QA: Every project has a documented trail, which helps with internal reviews and external audits.

What’s Next: Bulk Upload Tasks

As a hands-on user, Mike has also worked closely with the TaskTag team to share ideas for future improvements. One major request: the ability to bulk upload tasks from an Excel file.

“Typing in 500 units one by one is a pain. If we could upload a spreadsheet and have TaskTag auto-create the tasks? That would save hours,” Mike suggests.

Fortunately, the TaskTag team has already begun rolling out updates based on user feedback, and Mike praises the team’s responsiveness:

“Everyone on the TaskTag team has been great—super down to earth and committed to improving the product.”

A Smarter Way to Build and Document in Construction

For a company like Zerodraft Maryland, staying competitive in the energy efficiency space means delivering consistent quality at scale. And that requires better tools.

TaskTag has helped them transition from a photo-folder scramble to a well-oiled project tracking system that works on any job site, for any technician, right from a mobile phone.

“TaskTag took a process that used to feel overwhelming and made it easy. Now we’re organized, informed, and a lot less stressed,” Mike concludes.

For Zerodraft Maryland, TaskTag transformed field chaos into clarity. With one mobile app, they gained visibility, accountability, and peace of mind—no matter the project size.

Ready to see how TaskTag can help you build smarter and save you time? Book a free demo today and see it in action.