Carl L. Di Giacomo
Carl is a USGBC certified Green Consultant and Green Rater. In 1971 he started in construction as an estimator and project manager in the largest plastering, insulation, drywall and acoustical ceiling tile subcontracting company in Southwestern Ontario. After 3 years experience in the subcontracting business he became a superintendent for Traders Group, a large Canadian development company for residential construction. He started his own company, Tradewind Homes, in 1976, which built residential affordable homes for UAW-CAW, luxury homes and light commercial construction. In 1981 they built the largest non-profit housing development in North America.
Throughout this time period Carl placed a major emphasis on developing estimating templates, project management procedures and overhead management tools. These facilitated an accurate assessment of the company’s cash flow, which helped smooth transitions through down cycles in the construction industry. During this time, he developed a keen interest in proactive measures for material conservation, with cost consideration being the driving factor.
In 1981, Carl became involved with a U.S. designed energy efficient construction system called “Solarcrete”. He was subsequently asked by the Trade Mission of the Canadian High Commission in Trinidad & Tobago to seek business opportunities there to assist that government with their housing shortage. Carl went to Trinidad, set up a local construction training program with Servol and constructed multiple townhouse units with “Solarcrete Trinidad, Inc.” using the energy efficient system.
Carl returned to North America in 1983 and set up a project management company. During the next 15 years they were involved in the construction of medical plazas (retrofit and new), commercial plazas, commercial buildings, a tennis club, townhouses and luxury homes. They consulted with large companies to help them keep their subcontractor costs in line. To assist in proper material and labor costing Carl set up a number of subcontracting companies: framing, insulation, ceramic tile, carpet, trim, acoustical tile, etc. in order to assist the general contractors with maintaining their bottom lines. The subcontracting companies were involved with projects ranging from a convention center and sewage treatment plant to small commercial projects and luxury homes.
In 1993, while continuing with project management, Carl decided to computerize the graphic estimating systems that he had developed to reduce waste. The contractor software that is being used by him today was the first to be developed in the world. An abbreviated version was designed in 2001 and launched in 2005 on www.bobvila.com and has been a useful tool for the Do-It-Yourselfer for the last 4 years. For viewing and use go to www.thehomerenovator.com or the Design Tools Section of www.bobvila.com.
Carl’s knowledge and use of the project management and estimating tools helps Newman Consulting Group to assist developers and contractors in quantifying and qualifying materials that will enable the LEED Certification process “with cost-to-use benefit analysis” and “regionalization” of systems and materials.
Email: carlg@NewmanConsultingGroup.us