I graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. I knew I wanted to work with sustainability and efficiency, so I joined Petinelli, a newly established sustainability consultancy, as an intern. Along with 5 colleagues, I became a partner, and over 10 years, we grew from 8 to 80 engineers and architects. We led iconic projects in Brazil, including the energy efficiency consultancy for the Brazilian Antarctic Station, the world’s first LEED Zero Energy project, and Brazil’s first LEED Zero Carbon and Zero Water projects.
In my later years at Petinelli, I founded a spin-off focused on raising capital for energy efficiency projects for public and philanthropic entities. This initiative made all Adventist schools in southern Brazil and the main children’s cancer hospital in Curitiba energy self-sufficient. After my time at Petinelli, I served as Head of Energy Efficiency for a French multinational ESCO in Brazil, GreenYellow, where I developed and managed over 1,000 energy efficiency projects, achieving an annual energy savings of 250 GWh.
My involvement with ASHRAE began in 2012, when I became a member and obtained the BEMP (Building Energy Modeler) certification. In 2017, I started my volunteer work with the Brazilian Chapter through the YEA group. Two years later, I became President of the Brazilian Chapter and subsequently founded the South Brazil Chapter, serving as its first president. Today, I am Chair of the YEA Committee at the society level.
ASHRAE has been a cornerstone of my career, helping me develop both my technical expertise and leadership skills, and playing a crucial role in shaping my management and leadership style.