Acaire Colombia

What Acaire Colombia does

Acaire Colombia (ACAIRE) is a Bogotá-based, non-profit trade association (gremio) founded in 1981 that represents Colombia's heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC-R) sector. Registered as an Entidad sin Ánimo de Lucro (ESAL), the organization serves HVAC-R companies, manufacturers, distributors, technicians, and engineering professionals, and is the recognized sectoral voice in national regulatory and workforce frameworks. Its core offerings span four pillars: technical training (diplomados, short courses, and formal certifications priced from roughly USD 96 to USD 1,140 per program), the biennial Expoacaire trade show (currently in its 25th edition), the CIDARE research and technical reference center, and the CVIACAIRE member portal. Strategic alliances with ASHRAE, AHRI, IIAR, FAIAR, OLACDE, ICARHMA, the GIZ Green Cooling Initiative, SENA, and OEMs such as BITZER anchor its international and technical credibility.

ACAIRE generates revenue through three primary streams: recurring membership dues from a base of hundreds of HVAC-R companies and professionals, fees from cohort-based training and the newly formalized HVAC-R certification programs, and exhibition/sponsorship revenue from Expoacaire. The organization's influence extends into regulatory co-authorship, including Resolution 1633/2025 (healthcare-facility HVAC standards) and the incorporation of HVAC-R competencies into Colombia's National Qualifications Catalog via SENA. In 2026, ACAIRE completed a statutory reform that formally expanded its charter scope from refrigeration-only into ventilation systems and thermal energy districts, and installed a new Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 term.

The association operates with a headcount of approximately 27 employees based in Bogotá and serves a member ecosystem that includes global manufacturers and OEMs (Alfa Laval, BITZER, Midea, Mayekawa, Carel, Hisense, Mitsubishi, Trane) alongside domestic contractors, distributors, and engineering firms. Its position combines regulatory influence, training infrastructure, and convening power through Expoacaire, making it the de facto institutional anchor of the Colombian HVAC-R sector.

Name

Acaire Colombia

Legal name

Asociación Colombiana de Acondicionamiento del Aire y de la Refrigeración

Website

https://acaire.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acaire Colombia (ACAIRE) is a Bogotá-based non-profit trade association, founded 1981, that represents Colombia's HVAC-R sector through membership services, technical training and certifications, the biennial Expoacaire trade show, and regulatory engagement with SENA and national health-facility standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogotá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for companies and professionals in the HVAC-R sector, providing access to the member directory, CVIACAIRE virtual resources, technical publications, and normative guidance.
2. Training Programs and Courses: Revenue from diplomados (diploma programs), technical courses, and specialized training on topics such as CO2 refrigeration systems, indoor air quality, air conditioning projects, and refrigerant handling. Pricing varies for members vs. general public.
3. Exhibition and Event Fees: Revenue from Expoacaire, the major industry exhibition held at Corferias in Bogotá, including booth rentals, sponsorship packages, and attendee registration fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Acaire Colombia is a non-profit trade association serving the Colombian HVAC-R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration), ventilation, and thermal districts sectors. It monetizes through annual membership fees, paid professional training programs (diplomados and technical courses), and the biennial Expoacaire trade exhibition, while operating the CIDARE research center and CVIACAIRE member portal as knowledge platforms.

Product overview

ACAIRE is a Colombian trade association (gremio) for air conditioning and refrigeration, not a product company. Its core offerings include professional training programs (diplomas and technical courses on CO2 refrigeration, indoor air quality, refrigerant best practices), the biennial Expoacaire trade show, the CIDARE research center, and the CVIACAIRE member portal with technical resources. The association serves as a platform connecting industry professionals, facilitating knowledge transfer, and promoting sustainable HVAC-R technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Expoacaire 2026 Biennial trade show and academic conference bringing together refrigeration, industrial/commercial air conditioning, district energy, ventilation, and air conditioning industry players in Latin America. It is the association's flagship commercial event for HVAC-R companies and professionals.
• Diplomado en Proyectos de Acondicionamiento del Aire International diploma program on installation, operation, and maintenance strategies for refrigeration and air conditioning systems, delivered to HVAC-R engineers and technicians via live Zoom sessions and the Moodle platform.
• Diplomado en Calidad de Aire Interior en Ambientes Hospitalarios Specialized diploma on indoor air quality in hospital environments, covering HVAC requirements and standards for healthcare facilities, targeted at engineers and professionals serving the healthcare sector.
• Nivel Básico - Introducción a los Sistemas de Refrigeración con CO2 (R-744) Basic level virtual course on carbon dioxide refrigeration systems (R-744), covering the fundamentals of CO2 as a natural refrigerant for HVAC-R technicians and engineers.
• Diseño, Ingeniería de Selección, Operación y Mantenimiento de Sistemas de CO2 Advanced course on design, selection engineering, operation, and maintenance of CO2 refrigeration systems for HVAC-R professionals seeking deeper technical expertise.
• Buenas Prácticas en el Uso de Refrigerantes y Lubricantes (Versión 8) Technical course on best practices for refrigerant and lubricant use in HVAC-R systems, version 8 of the program, targeted at technicians and engineers handling refrigerants.
• CIDARE - Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Acondicionamiento de Aire y Refrigeración Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Acondicionamiento de Aire y Refrigeración — ACAIRE's research and development center for air conditioning and refrigeration, part of the association's knowledge generation platform and active in international technical cooperation.
• CVIACAIRE - Exclusive Member Portal Exclusive member zone offering virtual library, technical resources, regulatory documents, and academic materials for ACAIRE members only.
• Acairegión Regional Events Regional events (Acairegión) bringing together HVAC-R professionals in different Colombian cities for technical meetings and regional development, expanding ACAIRE's reach beyond Bogotá.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sector representation in Colombia's National Qualifications Catalogue for Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Thermal Districts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASHRAEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers - International standards organization providing technical resources, certifications, and industry guidelines that ACAIRE aligns with for Colombian HVAC-R standards development.
• AHRIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute - Industry association representing manufacturers of HVAC-R equipment that provides certification programs and technical standards referenced by ACAIRE.
• IIARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration - Professional organization focused on industrial refrigeration safety and standards that ACAIRE collaborates with for technical guidance.
• FAIARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederación de Asociaciones de Ingenieros de Aire Acondicionado y Refrigeración de Latinoamérica - Latin American federation connecting HVAC-R professionals across the region.
• OLACDEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganización Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Energía - Latin American energy organization. ACAIRE, through CIDARE, participated in developing Technical Note No. 15 on District Energy comparing Chile and Colombia models.
• ICARHMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Confederation of ACHR News - Global news organization serving the HVAC-R industry that provides media partnership and industry visibility.
• Green Cooling InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGIZ Proklima initiative promoting sustainable refrigeration and cooling technologies. ACAIRE participated in Green Cooling Initiative III (2021-2025) which trained over 500 sector professionals and developed technical guides.
• BITZERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompressor manufacturer and strategic ally for CO2 refrigeration training. BITZER partnered with ACAIRE for the May 2026 technical workshop on CO2 refrigeration systems held in Bogotá.
• Conectando NegociosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness networking platform that partners with ACAIRE for member visibility and commercial connection opportunities.
• SENAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServicio Nacional de Aprendizaje - Colombia's national training service. GCI III project strengthened SENA's capacity as center of excellence for RAC sector training with instructor development and equipment donations.
• Universidad Santo TomásminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for regulatory dissemination events, including hosting ACAIRE's first regulatory update event at the university's Mechanical Engineering faculty.
• CIDAREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Acondicionamiento de Aire y Refrigeración - ACAIRE's research and development center focused on innovation in air conditioning and refrigeration, active in international technical cooperation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OLADE: Organización Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Energía - Latin American energy organization that co-developed Technical Note No. 15 with ACAIRE/CIDARE. OLADE's regional energy policy focus overlaps with ACAIRE's thermal districts and energy efficiency work.
• ASHRAE: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers - The largest and most established global HVAC-R professional society and a formal ACAIRE partner. ASHRAE's international standards-setting authority and global membership footprint make it the dominant broad incumbent in the space in which ACAIRE operates nationally.
• REHVA: Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations - The European federation of national HVAC associations. REHVA's federation-of-associations model parallels how FAIAR/ACAIRE are structured across LATAM, making it a relevant structural peer.

Direct peers

• CIBSE: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers - UK professional body for building services including HVAC. CIBSE's chartership pathway, training programs, and standards-setting activities closely parallel ACAIRE's certification and member-development model.
• EHPA: European Heat Pump Association - European trade association focused on heat pump technology, policy advocacy, and market data. EHPA's specialized technology focus and commission-driven structure parallel ACAIRE's Energy Efficiency/Sustainability/Thermal Districts work.
• IIAR: International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration - Industrial refrigeration-focused association and ACAIRE partner. IIAR's specialized standards development and Cold Chain-type technical focus mirror ACAIRE's Cold Chain commission work, making it a close functional peer.
• FAIAR: Federación de Asociaciones de Ingenieros de Aire Acondicionado y Refrigeración de Latinoamérica - The Latin American federation of national HVAC-R associations and an ACAIRE partner. FAIAR operates at the regional layer above ACAIRE and is the most direct structural peer in the LATAM market.
• AHRI: Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute - The US HVAC-R manufacturer trade association and ACAIRE partner. AHRI's certification programs and manufacturer representation parallel the industry-side role ACAIRE plays for Colombia.

Emerging players

• ICARHMA: International Confederation of ACHR News - Global HVAC-R news and media organization with media partnership with ACAIRE. ICARHMA's industry communications and event-media role partially overlaps with the awareness and community-building functions ACAIRE performs through Expoacaire and its publications.

Regional players

• ABRAVA: Associação Brasileira de Refrigeração, Ar Condicionado, Ventilação e Aquecimento - The Brazilian HVAC-R industry association. ABRAVA serves the largest HVAC-R market in Latin America and is the most relevant national-association peer to ACAIRE within the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKni2LYZe8zM_3BLEF96yEQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/acairecolombia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acaireoficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acaire Colombia