[welcome to makao]

Creating the climate for change.

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scroll on to see what we're about
[our purpose]
Why we're here
We’ve seen too many well-intentioned sustainability ideas fall over — not because they lacked vision, but because they ignored commercial reality.

Makao exists to change that.

We design systems and strategies that make sustainable development viable: technically, financially, and operationally.

No theatre. No shortcuts. Just clear thinking that holds up on site.

We don’t preach sustainability. We build it into the places people live, work, and gather. Places that need to perform long after handover.

We’re big enough to handle complex, cross-disciplinary projects.
Small enough that you’ll work directly with people who stay close to the details, and care about the outcome.

From energy and daylight models to airtightness and adaptation, we bridge technical rigour with grounded, commercial sense — helping clients move from compliance to performance, and ambition to delivery.

We’re not here to tell you should care about.

We’re here to help you deliver what already matters — better.
Kelvin Mureithi - Makao
Founder & esd guy
Kelvin Mureithi
Kelvin spearheads Makao’s future direction, culture and growth. He ensures Makao consistently meets client targets, and draws from extensive experience in industrial, public sector, commercial and residential projects.
Technical foundations
B.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
MIEAust / GSAP
operations assistant
Lalaine Valencia
Lalaine supports the day-to-day operations that keep Makao running seamlessly. She manages scheduling, systems, and helping the team stay efficient. Her background in operations and client service brings a calm precision to everything she handles.
Technical foundations
B.Sc. Information Technology
senior esd engineer
Fred Boafo
Fred leads the technical delivery of Makao’s ESD projects, applying deep expertise in building science to improve comfort, efficiency and performance. He’s helped clients shape buildable outcomes for offices, education and civic buildings alike.
Technical foundations
PhD. Enegy Egineering Systems
LEED AP
Vivian Ng - Makao
junior esd engineer
Vivian Ng
Vivian supports ESD modelling and documentation across residential and mixed-use projects. With a background in mechanical engineering, she brings analytical precision and a practical mindset to every stage of delivery.
Technical foundations
M.Eng. Mechanical Engineering
MIEAust / GSAP
[below the surface, above the standard]
The Zen of Makao
These are the silent principles that guide how we think, work, and decide — whether we’re refining a wall system, reviewing a model, or helping a client through complexity. They’re how we work when no one’s watching.
Quality first, and always
Simple is better than complex
Small is beautiful
Think in systems
Design with the long view
Practicality beats purity
Now is better than never
Performance is felt, not claimed
[the commitment]
Mission statement
Makao exists to shape projects that outlast us.

We guide the performance of spaces where people live, work, and gather. We do it through engineering that is rigorous, tested, and long-viewed. All grounded in sound experience, technical depth, and practical wisdom.

We believe small decisions matter. That thresholds — thermal, structural, systemic — are real. That precision is a form or respect. And that dignity lives in doing work well, even when it’s unseen.

From Melbourne to Minneapolis, we bring clarity across climates, codes, and cultures — helping our clients make decisions that feel right now and still make sense decades from today. Because in the end:

The buildings we shape now, will shape lives we’ll never meet.
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Our Process
Small is beautiful. From detailing insulation properly to balancing airflow, the smallest decisions compound over time. Precision is a form of respect.
True sustainability is invisible. Sensed in comfort, measured in longevity, verified in the absence of problems. Performance is felt, not claimed.
Limits matter. We honour constraints (planetary and practical ones). They’re where the best thinking lives.
Code is a floor, not a ceiling. Climate risk, grid instability, and material limits aren’t future hypotheticals — they’re design inputs now.
Clarity beats complexity. Simplicity is not naive. It’s a hard-won outcome of deep thinking, careful engineering, and trust in principles over gimmicks.
Care travels. Whether a school in suburban Melbourne or a precinct in regional Queensland, our work reflects who we are — and how much we care.
The work outlives us. Our legacy isn’t the report or the certificate. It’s the lived experience of those inside the buildings — long after we’re gone.
makao case studies
resource efficiency
makao
sustainable
design
“I found the Makao Group to be very professional, prompt and Kelvin knew exactly how we needed to move forward with our supermarket renovation. Slick easy digital engagement that made it easy to engage them. Highly recommended.”
Gavin Morely
gAVIN mORLEY
MANAGING DIRECTOR
We've worked with pretty great people at some awesome companies. here are some of them:
[start with makao]
Weave sustainability into
your next project
With Makao, your building becomes a strategic asset: resilient, resource efficient, and aligned with your long-term goals for growth and sustainability.
reach out today
reach out today
Kelvin Mureithi - MakaoVivian Ng - Makao
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