Life at Makao / Work from Anywhere

While others scale up with thousands of employees and global overheads, we stayed purposefully compact. Our team of expert engineers each bring deep specialisation in building science and ecological design – because when it comes to sustainability, expertise matters more than size.

Since launching over five years ago, Makao has transformed how development applications integrate ESD considerations. We've delivered cutting-edge green building certifications and shared our expertise through more than 150 CPD training workshops for architects and building designers across the industry.

Our impact spans Australia – from Victoria to New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. This national reach, achieved in just five years, reflects our rapidly growing influence in sustainable design.

Here's what makes us different:

If you're an engineering firm or design team, we're the ESD specialists you can call when projects demand deep expertise. We work within your frameworks – respecting your SLAs, signing your NDAs, and following your client protocols – so you can confidently extend your capabilities without added complexity or permanent hiring.

If you're developing a project, you get the kind of advanced sustainable design knowledge usually reserved for major developments – from glazing performance optimisation to Green Star pathways – regardless of your project's size. Our remote-first approach means a small residential development in regional Queensland gets the same expertise as a major commercial project in Melbourne.

If you're a building science engineer, join a team where your expertise isn't just valued – it shapes buildings that will in turn shale lives we'll never meet. Work on diverse projects from residential innovations to commercial certifications, collaborate with industry leaders, and enjoy the autonomy of remote work while building your reputation in a rapidly growing field.

When your project demands real ESD expertise, we're the specialists who understand that quality matters more than quantity. Partner with us, hire us, or join us – either way, you're choosing depth over scale.