statiker,
Do a web search on ABNT (Associacao Brasileira de Normas Technicas)... and good luck - I think you're gonna need it!!
And yes, the "s" is ok. "Brasil" is the Portuguese version of the name, but please, do capitalize it. Thank you!
The bikinis, if used, are usually up to winds. When I was on the beach Florianopolis (south of Sao Paulo), it was 2 to 1 for bikinis, and rest with none. This was for an engineering conference and I had to give a presentation, but at least I got a day on a friends beach home.
Brazil certainly has a Portugese influence on the language, but the number of Europeans use Spanish, wich is close and understood.
Dick
Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.