Qualifications and Professional Memberships
PhD (Architecture), RMIT University, 2021
Dipl.-Ing. (Architecture and Urban Planning), Berlin University of the Arts, 2016
Information Management Practitioner – BIM according to ISO19650, 2024
Certified Passive House Designer, 2023
Specialisation
Computational Design
Architectural Design
Sustainable Design
Parametric Modelling
Building Performance
Simulation
Data Analysis
Data Visualisation
Automation
Years in industry
7
Max has doctorate-level knowledge on sustainable design, advanced digital modelling including building performance simulation, data analysis and visualisation His experience in both architectural and engineering companies has fostered a diverse skillset that allows bridging the gap between conceptual ideation and technical problem-solving.
At Aurecon, his main responsibilities include:
Leadership: Project management of small to mid-sized projects, discipline lead for large projects, design management and project controls. Max has mentored numerous emerging professionals at Aurecon.
Sustainability: He has facilitated the achievement of sustainability certifications including Green Star, LEED, and Passive House, and is a Certified Passive House Designer.
Digital: As the regional lead for computational design and automation at Aurecon, Max has shaped the business development of the region in terms of digital transformation. This includes chairing recurring meetings with the Extended Leadership Team, leading the development of custom digital tools for company-wide use, and facilitating adoption of digital tools and workflows across all markets and disciplines within the region.
Technical: From brainstorming sustainable design concepts to running advanced building performance simulations in large parametric studies, to advanced data analysis of the results in Python, to presenting key data and insights in digestible form to clients and project partners.
Olympic Dam - Power Identification Phase Study | South Australia | BHP | 2025 | Computational Design Lead
Max led the computational design for a study to advise BHP on investment options to upgrade their transmissions network supplying their remote copper mines north of Adelaide.
He originated the algorithmic methodology for a Python-based framework to screen and rank investment alternatives for generation and transmission augmentations. It generates all feasible investment pathways across various future demand scenarios, consolidating multidisciplinary team and client data into a unified, automated workflow. He validated model outputs through interactive dashboards and manual cross-checks, and conveyed results and insights directly to the client through interactive workshops. This framework now underpins BHP’s Copper SA Power Strategy, providing a transparent, datadriven basis for long-term infrastructure investment aligned with reliability and decarbonisation targets.
“Aurecon Buildings Carbon sketcher” (“ABCs”) | ANZ | Aurecon | 2021-2024 | Initiative Lead
Max led the development of the “Aurecon Buildings Carbon sketcher”, an in-house, early design stage carbon calculator for buildings. The user-friendly tool estimates structural element sizes and energy consumption which allows designers to make top-level, order-of-magnitude assessments of different structural and mechanical solutions based on the impact on the carbon footprint of the building.
To achieve an industry-leading product that considers carbon accounting holistically at concept design, Max coordinated a collaborative workflow between engineers across disciplines to develop a modular tool that assesses the interdependencies between design decisions across different disciplines. This work has led to a scientific, peer-reviewed publication presented at the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) 2023 symposium
EnergyPlus Verification Initiative | ANZ | Aurecon | 2023 | Study Lead
While IES is the official and approved energy modelling software across Aurecon, it has limitations in terms of how it can be used for automation and large-scale parametric studies. Especially for early design stage ESD studies, parametric modelling has become an increasingly important and valuable exercise to set up projects from the outset in a way that sets the project up for success in terms of building performance, occupant comfort, and affordability. Another software that does allow for increased customisation and automation is EnergyPlus. It integrates well with other modelling software like the Rhino/Grasshopper environment for parametric design.
In order to facilitate the adoption of these novel computational methods across Aurecon, Max led a detailed study to verify EnergyPlus against IES, and to formulate a lessons learnt report that sets out recommendations and processes for Aurecon engineers to use EnergyPlus in a way that Aurecon can have confidence in the modelling results and accuracy of recommendations ensuing from these studies.
Research Study on Indoor Environmental Quality | Melbourne | Swinburne University of Technology | 2022 | Research Supervisor
Swinburne University’s Internship program seeks to link academia to industry by organizing placements of students as internships within companies. This gives businesses the opportunity to pursue research, while the students benefit from supervision and mentoring from industry professionals.
Max led one such initiative on behalf of Aurecon. He led two student interns to conduct a study in a realworld environment; the team set up environmental sensors in an operational, naturally ventilated school building, and then set up feedback devices in the rooms to inform the occupants of indoor CO2 levels. The study successfully demonstrated that such feedback devices are effective at keeping CO2 levels within acceptable ranges in rooms that are not mechanically ventilated, by encouraging occupants to open windows.
The study results were published in a double-blind, peer-reviewed paper presented at the 26th International Clean Air and Environment CASANZ Conference in Adelaide
“Aurecon DesignSpace” | Global | Aurecon | 2021-2023 | Initiative Lead
Max led the development of the “DesignSpace”, an in-house webtool to interactively visualise datasets resulting from parametric design studies. The user-friendly tool provides an interactive parallel coordinate plot, scatter plots, and various other visualisation elements to allow designers to compare design options, and to “optioneer” and optimise design solutions across a vast range of applications. It is based on the opensource code base for “Design Explorer”, and includes customisations to meet Aurecon’s data management policies.
Data Centres
“Data Centre Projects in Tullamarine and Truganina” | Melbourne | “Client X” | 2023-2024 | Design Management
Max was the Design Manager for two large confidential data centre projects in construction. The role required the ad-hoc coordination of solutions to complex and specialised, live construction issues.
The reason Max was chosen for this role was due to his ability to facilitate collaborative design and problem solving; this skill was demonstrated on previous projects, especially in the context of meeting sustainability requirements that require cross-disciplinary coordination. Later, he led the ESD team to deliver LEED Gold certification.
Project MacGyver | APAC | “Client Z” | 2023 | Project Controller
This confidential project is a reference design for a data centre typology to be implemented by a client across the APAC region. Engineering delivered all engineering services associated with the design.
Max’s role on this project was as a project controller. As such, he set up the project digitally and helped manage and report on the project’s project management activities and commercials.
Educational
Australian Institute for Infectious Diseases (AIID) | Melbourne | Woods Bagot | The University of Melbourne | 2022-2023 | Integrated Design Consultant
The AIID is a world leading facility supported by the Victorian Government to enhance research, public health, educational, and translational capability in infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and other major global health issues.
Max helped facilitate user engagement meetings to develop the ambitious sustainability targets for embodied and operational carbon, circular economy, water, and health, including the use of Green Star, WELL, and Passive House to drive design and construction quality. This was supported by an advanced parametric modelling methodology which was presented at the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) 2023 symposium
ECU City Campus | Perth | Lyons | Edith Cowen University | 2021 | Climate analysis & building performance modelling
ESD recommendations and Green Star advisory was provided for Edith Cowan University’s 73,750m² campus.
Max ran numerous building performance simulation studies to assess the impacts of different ESD design parameters on energy consumption and occupant thermal comfort.
A project for the sustainable design of modular school buildings. The transdisciplinary approach with sustainability experts, mechanical engineers and applied science professionals, helped design several passive and active strategies from an early stage of the project.
The design included active mechanical systems as well as a novel concept for stack-driven natural ventilation, sensor-driven night flushing and thermal labyrinths. Simulating the interplay between these
systems is not possible through conventional software, and therefore Max’s job included the development of custom software-embedded coding scripts to model the unique design. A special achievement of this project was his seamless integration of several modelling scales and disciplines, most notably the interfacing of computational fluid dynamics simulation results as inputs to the building energy modelling.
Building 173 “Old Engineering” | Melbourne | University of Melbourne | 2020 | Sustainability Engineering
The University of Melbourne sought to refurbish its iconic, heritage-listed “Old Engineering” building, to improve its energy efficiency and occupant comfort.
While the initial project brief merely sought to upgrade the building’s mechanical systems, the team identified opportunities to implement passive strategies as a more sustainable long-term solution. Max’s responsibilities involved the digital modelling of several passive strategy scenarios, from natural ventilation to structural improvements including double-glazing, cavity insulation and airtightness measures. An important component of the methodology was the use of Max’s graphic design capabilities in preparing engaging infographics and data visualisations to communicate the ideas to a broad audience.
Daylight Levels in Victoria Building – Modelling Research | Victoria | Municipal Association of Victoria | 2022-2024 | Study Lead & Project Manager
Max was the main contributor and project manager leading a simulation research study to critically evaluate the daylight modelling standards set out in the current Victorian Planning Provisions (VPP) and the Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS).
Max designed the exceptional study involving daylight simulations of ~140,000 room types, requiring cloudbased simulations and advanced data analysis of the calculation results to help the Municipal Association of Victoria to rethink current provisions.
Queen Victoria Market (QVM) Passive House Tower 3 | Melbourne | KTA | SCAPE | 2023 | Sustainability Consultant & Computer Simulation Modeller
QVM Tower 3 is a student accommodation building scaling 54 levels and totalling over 43,000m² of floor area. The tower aims to achieve a 5-star Green Star rating and Passive House certification. At this scale, this project will be the largest Passive House project in the southern hemisphere.
Max led studies involving 3D modelling, simulations, and calculations to optimise daylight levels for Green Star compliance, and energy efficiency for Passive House compliance.
Ngā Kāinga Anamata | Auckland | CONTEXT | Kāinga Ora | 2021 | Thermal Simulation & Modelling Lead
5 Systems is a pioneer project targeting Passive House certification for social housing and is being utilised as a flagship research experiment to test the implications of Passive House for a range of building types across New Zealand.
Max conducted detailed energy modelling to test the building design for risk of overheating, following the international standards CIBSE TM52 and TM59. He used computational design methods and cloud computing to run multiple design options and conducted data analysis to enable deeper insights from the results. This methodology led to two scientific, peer-reviewed publications: in the International Conference for The Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia and the International Journal of Architectural Computing
Infrastructure
Central Precinct Program TA | Sydney | Grimshaw | Transport for NSW Infrastructure and Place | 2022 | Computational Designer
Aurecon was the Technical Advisor for TfNSW to revitalise and transform the Terminal Building and surrounding areas at Sydney’s Central Station.
Max was part of the ESD team’s involvement to improve the future user experience and comfort within the station. He ran parametric studies to test various redesign options for the roof of the historic central hall of the station, by analysing implications for daylighting, solar radiation, and thermal comfort. He presented the findings of the studies and collaborated with the project architects to make informed design decisions based on the analysis of various considerations.
Suburban Rail Loop | Melbourne | Suburban Rail Loop Authority (SRLA) | 2021 | Computational Designer
The Suburban Rail Loop was a large infrastructure project, including the construction of several new train stations for Melbourne. Aurecon’s contribution to the project was an interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at reducing energy consumption and increasing occupant thermal comfort and well-being.
Max provided consultations to the project architects on daylighting. By conducting parametric simulations, he tested design options to bring natural daylight into the underground stations, with the goal of increasing wellbeing and wayfinding within the stations, as well as striving to achieve Green Star certification.
Ngurra Cultural Precinct | Canberra | DCM | AIATSIS | 2025 | Integrated Design Consultant
The Ngurra Cultural Precinct is a nationally significant project comprising the National Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Centre and the National Resting Place in Canberra. Aurecon was engaged by DCM Architects to develop the sustainability strategy and c oncept design for the precinct.
Max led the delivery of a parametric modelling study exploring the design of the “Cultural Weave” façade, assessing daylight autonomy, glare, solar control, embodied carbon, and cost trade-offs. He developed the study methodology, analysed simulation results, and translated findings into design recommendations for the architectural team. Max also participated in client and partner workshops to communicate the study’s insights and shape the sustainability vision for the precinct.
Reimagining Arts Centre Melbourne - Changes due to canopy redesign | Melbourne | Fender Katsalidis | LendLease | 2024 | Integrated Design Consultant
Aurecon helped the Melbourne Arts Centre improve their facilities with a redesign of the canopy areas of the building.
Max lead the delivery of a creative and modelling exercise to optimise the design for sustainability and occupant well-being, by leading a team to run parametric studies with simulations of energy consumption, thermal comfort, daylight access, and glare.
PassivHaus in CSIRO’s ESD Policy | Australia | CSIRO | 2023 | Passive House Consultant
CSIRO engaged Aurecon for a research investigation to assess the Passive House standard in terms of its potential to serve as a guideline or target to be applied for future CSIRO developments, as well as retrofitting the institute’s current building stock.
Max formed part of the team that did a top- level investigation of the Passive House standard, and an analysis of what its implementation might mean for CSIRO.
Adelaide Aquatic Centre Development (AACD) | Adelaide | JPE Design Studio | 2023 | Daylight and Glar Study Lead
Aurecon provided all engineering services for an aquatic centre encompassing several pools (including an Olympic pool), a gym, and wellness areas.
Max collaborated with the project architects and Aurecon’s specialist Lighting Design team to run detailed computational studies to optimise the architectural design for a safe and comfortable indoor environment, by increasing daylight access while reducing glare.
Home of the Matildas | Melbourne | Populous | Football Victoria | 2022 | Computational Designer
Aurecon provided services for the La Trobe University Sports Park Stage 3 - Football Victoria State Football Centre and Home of the Matildas. This included an ESD scope to explore sustainable design options and achieve Green Star certification.
Max helped the ESD team conduct simulations and visualisations of solar radiation, daylighting, and access to views. He presented the findings to the project architects to inform design decisions to meet the project aspirations for sustainability and occupant experience.
SKA-LOW Infrastructure Professional Services Contract (PSC) | Western Australia | EnergyAustralia 2022 | Climate/Comfort Modeller
Max conducted climate simulations and building performance modelling to compare several village layout options in terms of their ability to provide comfortable conditions in the harsh desert conditions of the site.
Point Nepean ESD Consultancy | Victoria | Hassell | University of Melbourne | 2021 | Sustainability Consultant and Project Controller
Max conducted 3D modelling and parametric building performance simulations in the early design stage for this project. As of the Detailed Design phase, he acted as the Project Controller and represented the Aurecon team by attending fortnightly design coordination meetings with the project team.
UOM SCEU Economy Cycle Energy Optimisation | Victoria | University of Melbourne | 2021 | Computational Designer
Max parameterised engineering calculations to create a dashboard- like Excel tool in which the Aurecon mechanical engineers could collaboratively test design options with the client.
UoM Red Cross Site Project | Melbourne | JCB | University of Melbourne | 2021 | Computational Designer
Max conducted climate simulations and building performance modelling. He used parametric modelling techniques to compare façade design options for this campus in terms of their impact on energy consumption and occupant comfort.
Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCEC) | Geelong | Hassell | 2022 | ESD Lead
Following Max’s lead for the ESD scope for this invited competition, the team assessed the feasibility and implications for each of the potential sustainability initiatives set out by the client. This included an analysis of operational energy consumption and energy generation through roof-mounted photovoltaic. Max copresented the sustainable design concept with Lendlease for this invited competition.
Rostrevor High School Development DPSC | Adelaide | Brown Falconer | 2021 | Computational Designer
Max conducted climate simulations and building performance modelling to facilitate early design decisionmaking.
Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre | Adelaide | Woods Bagot | 2021 | Computational Designer
Max conducted climate simulations and building performance modelling to facilitate early design decisionmaking.
Mt Piper BESS Tech and Enviro | Victoria | EnergyAustralia | 2021 - 2024 | Data Visualisation
Max helped the team visualise particulate matter (that is, dust) concentrations overlaid with wind directions at the times at which these had been measured on site during several studies.
Employment record
Aurecon | Lead Consultant, Computational Design | 2024-present (full-time)
Swinburne University of Technology | Sessional Lecturer | 2023- present (sessional)
Aurecon | Senior Consultant, Computational Design | 2021-2024 (full-time)
Aurecon | Consultant, Computational Design | 2020-2021 (full-time)
Aurecon | Digital Specialist (Computational Design) | 2019-2020 (part-time)
Aurecon | Digital Specialist (Computational Design) | 2017-2019 (research intern)
Bollinger + Grohmann | Computational Designer | 2018–2019
RMIT University | Lecturer | 2017–2018
HENN Architects | Architect | 2016–2017
Berlin University of the Arts | Lecturer and Research Assistant | 2014–2016
gmp Architekten | Student Assistant | 2013–2014
Technical skills
Advanced 3D modelling and parametric design
Site-specific climate analysis and outdoor comfort modelling
Advanced building performance simulations using Radiance, EnergyPlus, and OpenFOAM
Data analysis, visualisation, and the development of custom digital tools in Python and JavaScript
Leadership skills
Project management
Project controls
Design management
Software development lead
Mentoring (computational design, simulation, parametric modelling, data analysis)
IALCCE 2025: On behalf of Aurecon, Max was invited to present at the International Association for LifeCycle Civil Engineering. His talk was titled "Embedding Sustainability through Advanced Lifecycle Assessment Techniques: Challenges and Opportunities in the AEC Industry"
Exemplar Forum 2024 – Generative AI: Max was accepted to participate in Aurecon’s annual digital forum. In 2024, the topic was on how generative AI can be utilised across the AEC industry for automation as well as to create new value streams for our clients.
Exemplar Forum 2023 – Sustainability in Design: Max was accepted to participate in Aurecon’s annual digital forum. In 2023, the topic was on how to use digital tools to bring insight to complex sustainability challenges
Cybersecurity, 2023: Max completed Aurecon’s internal learning pathway on securely managing Aurecon’s internal as well as client data.
Digital Champion, 2021-2023: Max held the “Digital Champion” role hat for Aurecon’s Buildings team across Victoria. The purpose of this role is to facilitate digital transformation across the teams.
Leadership Foundations Program, 2022: Max participated in this 12-month leadership development pathway by Adeption, for emerging professionals to embed the mindsets and behaviours to support ongoing leadership growth and impact.
pmX, 2021: Max completed Aurecon’s internal learning pathway for project management.
Marschall, M. G., & Sepulveda Corradini, J. P. (2023). An industry case study using parametric modelling to facilitate Passive House design. International Journal of Architectural Computing.
Marschall M, et al. (2023). Aurecon Buildings Carbon sketcher: A cross-disciplinary webtool for carbon neutral building design. Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2023 Integration of Design and Fabrication 10–14 July 2023, Melbourne.
Yu C, Farrant T, Marschall M (2022). Impacts of COVIDSafe practices and CO2 feedback devices on CO2 levels in classrooms. CASANZ22 26th International Clean Air and Environment Conference. Adelaide.
Dong, B., et al. (2022). A Global Building Occupant Behavior Database. Scientific Data, 9(1), 1-15.
Gao, N., Marschall, M., Burry, J. Watkins, S., & Salim, F. D. Understanding occupants’ behaviour, engagement, emotion, and comfort indoors with heterogeneous sensors and wearables. Sci Data 9, 261 (2022).
Marschall M, Sepulveda S (2022). How to prevent a Passive House from overheating: An industry case study using parametric design to propose compliance strategies. Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, CAADRIA 2022
Marschall, M., 2020. Humans in the Loop: Incorporating Occupant Behaviour in Building Performance Simulation. PhD Thesis, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Marschall, M., Burry, J., & Tahmasebi, F, 2020. Simulating Natural Ventilation in Early Stage Design: Combining an Occupant Behaviour Model with an Airflow Network Approach. Impact: Design with All Senses, 2018, 119–131.
Marschall, M., & Burry, J., 2019. Can the use of stochastic models of occupants’ environmental control behaviour influence architectural design outcomes? Intelligent and Informed - Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, CAADRIA 2019, 1, 715–724.
Marschall, M., Tahmasebi, F., & Burry, J., 2019. Including Occupant Behaviour in Building Simulation: Comparison of a Deterministic vs. a Stochastic Approach. 2019 Proceedings of the Symposium on Simulation for Architecture & Urban Design (pp. 161–168). Georgia Tech, College of Design, School of Architecture.
Languages
English
Reading: Excellent
Writing: Excellent
Speaking: Excellent
German
Reading: Excellent
Writing: Excellent
Speaking: Excellent
French
Reading: Good
Writing: Fair
Speaking: Fair