Managing a condominium in Brazil resembles, in many respects, running a small city, demanding of the building manager a strategic outlook that balances diplomacy, technical rigour and the ability to anticipate. On the 2026 calendar, a specific challenge looms on the horizon for managers: the national Tiradentes holiday, celebrated on 21 April.

As it falls on a Tuesday, the date creates the perfect scenario for a so-called "bridge holiday", where many businesses and public bodies extend the Monday off, turning a single day's rest into a prolonged four-day break. For the building manager, this period represents not just a rest, but the peak of an operational planning cycle that must ensure the building's infrastructure can withstand the marked increase in foot traffic and demand for essential services.

The Challenge of Bridge Holidays: Planning for Tiradentes

When a national holiday such as Tiradentes falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the routine of residential buildings changes drastically. On one hand, there is a considerable increase in residents who stay in the building and invite guests over for get-togethers, which raises the pressure on leisure areas and security systems. On the other hand, many residents take advantage of the long weekend to travel, leaving their units under the exclusive watch of the building staff. This ambivalent movement requires the building manager's planning to be robust enough to look after those who stay and protect the property of those who leave.

The key to successful management during festive periods lies in the ability to anticipate problems that, while routine, become critical when the administrative team is working on a skeleton shift. A fault in a booster pump or a jammed automatic gate during a long weekend can quickly escalate into a conflict between residents or generate emergency repair costs up to four times higher than those of scheduled maintenance. Therefore, the Friday before the holiday is the final deadline for the entire contingency strategy to have been reviewed and communicated to everyone involved.

Planning for long weekends should begin at least two weeks in advance, allowing the building manager to check work rosters, confirm stocks of cleaning supplies, and ensure that all predictive maintenance contracts are up to date with their visits. Skipping this preparatory phase leaves room for improvisation, the greatest enemy of building security.

Labour Legislation and Organising the Staff Roster

Structuring the staff roster for the Tiradentes holiday is, perhaps, the most delicate task for the building manager, as it involves strict compliance with the Consolidation of Labour Laws (CLT) and the Collective Labour Agreements (CCT) for each category. Article 70 of the CLT clearly prohibits work on civil and religious holidays, but it opens fundamental exceptions for services that, by their nature, cannot be interrupted, such as the security and operation of residential buildings.

For staff working the traditional 44-hour week, working on the holiday generates specific entitlements. Should no compensatory day off be granted within the same week, the employer must pay double the value of the day worked, the well-known "100% premium". It is vital that the building manager consult the local collective agreement, as some unions, such as those in Santa Catarina or São Paulo, may provide for premiums of up to 110% for work on national holidays. The building's financial planning should factor these overtime hours into the monthly budget to avoid cash-flow shortfalls.

The staff roster should be drawn up transparently and communicated to employees at least a week in advance. This boosts team motivation and reduces the risk of unjustified absences, which are common on holidays that allow for long weekends. In addition, the building manager should plan the intra-shift break (a minimum of one hour), ensuring the front desk is never left unattended while the main employee is away.

The 12x36 Shift and Compensation Rules for Holidays

The 12-hour-on, 36-hour-off shift is the standard model for front desk and security staff in residential buildings, owing to its efficiency in providing 24-hour cover. However, the application of holidays under this arrangement underwent crucial changes with the 2017 Labour Reform. Article 59-A of the CLT now stipulates that the monthly wage agreed for the 12x36 shift already includes paid weekly rest and holidays worked.

In practice, this means that an employee on duty on the Tuesday of Tiradentes is not entitled to double pay, as the law holds that the subsequent 36 hours of rest already compensate for the effort made on the holiday. However, this rule is not absolute: if the region's Collective Labour Agreement (CCT) expressly determines that work on a holiday must be paid as overtime, the union's rule takes precedence over the CLT, under the principle of "what is agreed prevails over what is legislated".

For error-free payroll planning, the building manager should follow these guidelines:

1. Check whether the local CCT contains clauses that keep double pay for the 12x36 shift on holidays.

2. Formalise in writing any individual agreement on overtime compensation.

3. Keep the time record rigorously up to date, including the start and end times of the holiday shift.

4. Make sure the night-shift premium (20% or higher, depending on the region) is paid correctly for hours worked between 10pm and 5am.

5. Ensure that a staff member on their day off is not called in to cover emergencies without proper record-keeping and financial compensation.

Preventive Maintenance: The Essential Checklist Before the Break

No long-weekend plan is complete without a technical sweep of the building's critical systems. Preventive maintenance is the most effective tool for stopping the building manager having to act as a "firefighter" during their own time off. According to ABNT NBR 5674, maintenance should be understood as a set of cyclical activities aimed at preserving the building's functional capacity.

On the Friday before the holiday, the caretaker, under the building manager's guidance, should carry out a technical checklist focused on equipment that will come under greater strain. Booster pumps, responsible for carrying water from the lower reservoir to the upper one, are common points of failure. With increased water consumption during the holiday, these motors run for longer periods, which can reveal leaks in mechanical seals or faults in electric float switches.

The electrical system also deserves extra attention in the planning process. Heavy use of air conditioning, electric ovens and sound systems in common areas and private units can overload power boards that do not undergo regular maintenance. A simple visual inspection looking for overheated wires or loose circuit breakers can prevent serious short circuits during the Tiradentes holiday.

Critical Systems: Pumps, Lifts and Generators

The continued operation of lifts is vital to the habitability of any high-rise building. Before the holiday, it is advisable to request a preventive inspection of cables, door sensors and emergency buttons from the service provider. The constant flow of visitors and transport of luggage can cause wear or jams that create enormous inconvenience on dates when technical support only operates on an emergency call-out basis.

The generator set is another essential item in contingency planning. In the event of a power cut during the holiday, the generator must be ready to power the lifts, automatic gates and emergency lighting. The building manager should check that there is enough diesel for at least 12 hours of operation and that the starter battery is properly charged.

Below is a list of preventive actions for these systems:

• Water pumps: Carry out a manual alternation test between pump 1 and pump 2 to ensure both are operational.

• Lifts: Check that the cabin intercom is working and that the mandatory inspection certificate is up to date.

• Automatic gate: Lubricate the tracks and test the anti-crush sensors to prevent accidents involving visitors' vehicles.

• Fire safety: Check that extinguisher pressure is correct and that hydrant hoses are accessible in the corridors.

• Emergency lighting: Test battery autonomy to ensure escape routes remain lit in the event of a blackout.

Security and Access Control: Protecting the Building

The increase in delivery riders, visitors and temporary guests turns the front desk into the most critical security area during the long weekend. According to experts, the "human factor" is the weakest link, and criminals often take advantage of distracted staff and residents to attempt break-ins. Security planning should reinforce the need for rigorous identification of everyone who enters the building.

One effective planning measure is the suspension of renovation work in private units during the Tiradentes holiday, allowing only emergency repairs. This reduces the number of unfamiliar contractors moving through common areas and cuts down on noise pollution, preserving the peace and quiet of those who chose the holiday to rest. In addition, the use of technology, such as apps that generate QR codes for guests, speeds up the doorman's work and creates a digital record of who is inside the building.

Residents who are travelling should be advised to check that doors and windows are properly locked and to switch off the gas and the circuit breaker for non-essential appliances. Security is a shared responsibility; the building manager's planning is only 100% effective if residents are engaged in following the protocols set out in the building's by-laws.

Waste Management During the Long Weekend

One aspect frequently overlooked in long-weekend planning is solid waste management. With more people at home and social gatherings taking place, the volume of rubbish produced in the building tends to double or even triple during the Tiradentes holiday. Without a clear logistical strategy, bin stores can overflow, causing bad odours and attracting urban pests.

The building manager should schedule more frequent cleaning and collection shifts for common areas and the central bin store. It is essential to check in advance whether the council's collection days will change because of the national holiday. If the building practises recycling collection, the plan should include reinforced signage so that visitors do not dispose of organic materials in recycling bins, which undermines the entire sustainability process of the building.

Raising residents' awareness via digital channels is the best approach. Simple tips, such as properly wrapping broken glass and flattening cardboard boxes before disposal, make a huge difference to the workload of staff on duty during the holiday. Cleanliness upkeep is a direct indicator of management quality during periods of high demand.

Community Living and Airbnb: Mediating Conflicts in Leisure Areas

Barbecue areas, pools and party rooms are where the greatest friction occurs during long weekends. Community-living planning should set clear rules for bookings and noise limits. It is advisable for the building manager to plan for an extra staff member or security guard to patrol these areas during the holiday, ensuring that sound volume and the number of guests per unit are respected.

Managing units let out via platforms such as Airbnb represents an additional legal challenge. The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) has already established the view that condominiums may restrict or prohibit this practice if it is considered a commercial activity that undermines the building's security and residential purpose. In planning for the holiday, the building manager should require all temporary guests to be registered at the front desk with official documents and to receive a summary copy of the noise and conduct rules.

Dealing with "occasional" guests requires patience and firmness. A resident who lets out their unit remains legally responsible for any damage or breach of rules committed by their guests during the holiday. Maintaining order depends on this active oversight, preventing the residential environment from turning into a disorderly and unsafe hotel.

NewSun Subscription: Stability and Progressive Savings

While the building manager worries about rosters and maintenance, one fixed cost keeps weighing on the budget: the electricity bill for common areas. During the Tiradentes holiday and other long weekends, electricity consumption tends to rise significantly due to the constant use of lifts, decorative lighting and security systems. To mitigate these costs and bring financial predictability, the clean energy subscription from NewSun Energy Group emerges as the most modern management solution on the market.

This innovative model stabilises the electricity bill for the building's common areas, eliminating the anxiety caused by utility companies' annual rate hikes. The NewSun subscription acts as a shield for the bill against yellow or red tariff flags, as the rate charged is always linked to the green flag — the lowest in the country — regardless of national hydrological conditions. This ensures the building always pays the lowest possible amount, providing budget predictability that is essential to the health of its finances.

Beyond tariff security, NewSun delivers progressive savings of up to 30% on the monthly bill, without the building needing to invest a single real in construction work, solar panel installation, or technical maintenance costs on slabs and roofs. Managers also benefit from a genuinely human and personalised service that understands the urgencies of day-to-day building management. To complement this efficiency, the company offers an exclusive platform, the NewSun Energy Club, for real-time tracking of energy spending. Through it, building managers and council members can monitor the credits applied and the savings generated month by month, bringing full transparency to financial reporting at general meetings.

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Contingency Plan: Emergencies During the Tiradentes Holiday

No plan is complete without allowing for adverse scenarios. Emergencies do not choose their timing, and a holiday with a reduced team is the moment of greatest vulnerability for any building. Contingency planning should set out clear protocols for situations such as fires, flooding caused by burst risers, or prolonged power outages.

The building manager must ensure the front desk has immediate access to an up-to-date list of emergency numbers (190, 192, 193) and of all service providers with an active maintenance contract. If the building manager is travelling during the Tiradentes long weekend, they must formally appoint a legal deputy — such as the deputy manager or a council member — with the authority to approve emergency spending essential to residents' safety.

Preparing an emergency kit at the front desk is a simple step that saves lives. It should contain clearly labelled master keys, powerful torches with spare batteries for night-time power cuts, and a checked basic first-aid kit. By planning every detail, the manager builds a resilient administration, capable of protecting the community even in the most unforeseeable situations of the holiday.

Strategic Communication: The Building Manager's Role on Friday

A breakdown in communication is the seed of many conflicts in buildings during long weekends. Communication planning for the Tiradentes holiday should be multi-channel, using everything from the traditional noticeboard to management apps and WhatsApp groups. A well-structured notice, sent out the Friday before, should detail the opening hours of leisure areas and reinforced security procedures.

The notice should reinforce points such as:

• Quiet-hours times and penalties for excessive noise after 10pm.

• Delivery procedures (delivery riders not permitted upstairs to units).

• Rules for visitors using the pool and party room.

• Instructions for correctly disposing of organic and recyclable waste during the break.

• Emergency contact for the management in serious cases.

Transparency in planning builds residents' trust and reduces staff anxiety, as they can then work to clear guidelines. A well-informed building is one with fewer complaints in the incident log and greater collective harmony.

Conclusions on Holiday Planning in Condominiums

The Tiradentes holiday, especially when extended into a long weekend, acts as a stress test for a building's infrastructure and management. By anticipating preventive maintenance needs and organising staff rosters rigorously aligned with labour legislation, the building manager avoids operational crises and protects the community from security risks and legal liabilities. The complexity of managing a modern building requires planning to stop being a one-off action and become a continuous governance strategy.

The adoption of sustainable and economically smart solutions, such as the energy subscription from NewSun Energy Group, shows how innovation can bring real benefits to a building's budget, ensuring stability and savings in times of tariff uncertainty. Integrating data use via the NewSun Energy Club and maintaining genuinely human service are differentiators that add value to professional management and make life easier for everyone involved. Ultimately, the success of a long holiday in a residential building is measured by the invisibility of problems: when everything works perfectly, the planning has done its job, allowing residents to enjoy their leisure time with the peace and quiet they deserve. The building manager who plans ahead safeguards the quality of life and the assets of dozens of families, honouring the responsibility entrusted to them by the community.