Raising the Bar in Brazil

Inside SMACNA Brazil’s mission to bring quality HVAC and cleaner air to the forefront.

On any given day in São Paulo, Brazil, you might not immediately notice the HVAC systems humming behind the scenes of a high-rise office, a bustling hospital or a state-of-the- art lab. But to Edson Alves, Executive Director of SMACNA Brazil and CEO of Star Center, that quiet machinery represents a movement — one that’s transforming building standards, educating an entire sector and rewriting what quality and professionalism mean for contractors across the country.

SMACNA CEO Aaron Hilger with SMACNA Brazil Executive Director Edson Alves.

“When SMACNA Brazil was established, we already had existing associations focused on labor and government relations,” says Alves. “So, we focused on a different mission: education, training and raising the standard for the entire HVAC industry."

SMACNA Brazil's Annual Awards Ceremony.

In just five years, SMACNA Brazil has grown from six to 16 contractor members, with more expected to join this year. But Alves is quick to point out that this isn’t about numbers.

“We don’t just let everyone in,” he says. “We want contractors who are serious about quality and committed to the standards. We want them to represent what SMACNA is about.”

That commitment to quality takes shape in multiple ways, starting with education. SMACNA Brazil translates complex technical standards into plain language that customers and non-engineers can understand — guides that help building owners make informed decisions, whether they’re planning a retrofit or commissioning a new HVAC system.

Speakers and members at SMACNA Brazil's Annual Awards Ceremony (top), including SMACNA CEO Aaron Hilger (bottom).

“It’s not just translating the standards,” Alves explains. “It’s explaining them in everyday terms. We want the end customer to know what a good installation looks like.”

The chapter’s education efforts stretch far beyond the contractor base. SMACNA Brazil hosts customer-focused events, publishes user-friendly guides and maintains close relationships with industry magazines to spread the message of quality HVAC. The group even organizes a course similar to a postgraduate program that is open to technicians, engineers and anyone interested in mastering the fundamentals of HVAC design, installation and commissioning.

“It’s not just for engineers,” says Alves. “We want to be inclusive and raise the technical knowledge of the whole market.”

That inclusivity also shows up in SMACNA Brazil’s focus on women in construction. On International Women’s Day, the chapter hosts breakfasts and networking events to connect and celebrate women working in HVAC, a field where their representation is still growing.

“We want women to feel like this is a space for them, too,” Alves says.

SMACNA Brazil's education-first model also extends to biweekly technical training sessions held for member contractors. These one-to two-hour trainings are delivered by manufacturers and tailored to the engineers and technicians working on the ground. From filtration to fabrication, these deep dives keep the workforce up to date on the latest innovations and best practices.

But perhaps the chapter’s most celebrated event is its Annual Awards Ceremony. Each year, contractors submit their best projects for evaluation by a neutral committee of designers and engineers. Jobs are scored based on quality, innovation and energy efficiency. The event draws more than 500 attendees from across Brazil, and the winners are celebrated with full video showcases and an Oscar-style ceremony.

“We want to recognize excellence,” Alves says. "It’s not just about showing off; it’s about inspiring others to reach that level.”

The chapter's work has even gained international recognition. One award-winning hospital project received accolades not only from SMACNA Brazil but also from ASHRAE in the United States. Alves says that kind of cross-border validation helps reinforce the value of SMACNA standards in the global arena.

The chapter also collaborates closely with Brazil-based universities, especially those with strong engineering programs, to introduce students to the HVAC and sheet metal industry.

“A lot of engineering students here still don’t really know what HVAC is or what we do,” Alves says. “We’re changing that.”

In a country where air conditioning is still less common in homes and not fully understood by many end users, SMACNA Brazil’s mission is especially urgent. The COVID-19 pandemic brought indoor air quality into the spotlight, and the chapter has been pushing to make that awareness stick.

“We want people to know what’s happening behind the ceiling,” Alves says, adding that these things matter. “Clean air matters. Design matters. Standards matter.”

SMACNA Brazil might be made up of just two full- time staff members and a small group of committed contractors running the chapter day to day, but the impact stretches far beyond just the organization's numbers.

“We are small, but we are focused,” Alves says. “We believe education and high standards can lift the entire HVAC and sheet metal market.”

That belief is catching on. Whether it’s through translating technical documents into tools for better building decisions, partnering with universities or showcasing award-winning projects, SMACNA Brazil is doing more than representing contractors. It’s raising the bar for what HVAC can and should be in Brazil and beyond.

Published: January 12, 2026

SMACNews November/December 2025

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