Dear brothers and sisters,

As 2022 ends I hope that everyone’s New Year’s resolutions for 2022 were successful, especially if they pertained to the plumbing industry. With 2023 right around the corner, we all have the opportunity to again make New Year’s resolutions. My hope for 2023 is for the WPC community to grow in membership. The more members we have from different countries, the more information we can share with each other. The World Plumbing Council brings together plumbing manufacturers, trade schools, unions, plumbing engineers, instructors, plumbing codes and standards councils to promote and protect the plumbing industry. Together, all these professionals can make our world a better place.

One of the biggest challenges the world faces is clean, sustainable water. For mankind to survive we need water as much as we need clean air and food. Many of us are facing historical droughts that will create mass migrations to where the water is plentiful. Global warming is challenging our societies to make changes in the ways we power the future as well. Wind and solar alone cannot keep the lights on in our homes and businesses. We need the “all-of-the-above” approach to meet the world’s energy needs for the future. Some of these topics were discussed at our December virtual general membership meeting. My thanks to our panelists who led some spirited debate during our session.

I’d like to thank WPC Deputy Chair Dave Viola and WPC Secretariat Gaby Davis, along with IWSH Managing Director Seán Kearney, for successfully putting together the World Skills Competition Special Edition in Lahr, Germany. A lot of hard work went into making this event happen in a short period of time. The special bonds the participants forged will endure forever. Well done to everyone from IAPMO who worked behind the scenes.

The WPC will host a General Board Meeting at the world’s leading trade show for plumbing and HVAC in Frankfurt, Germany, from March 13-17. We plan on having the meeting March 15. It will be the first time the general membership will be together since the COVID pandemic began. I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones and I encourage everyone to attend. We will also be sponsoring another WorldSkills participation project, which will showcase our young plumbing professionals’ work skills on display at the trade show.

Again, I’d like to thank the general membership for extending the Executive Board terms for one year. It looks like the COVID pandemic is in the rear-view mirror and traveling around the world is once again looking good. The WPC scholarship winners from 2020 will be traveling in 2023. I look forward to welcoming Moses Chongo to the United States in August at our International Training Program. Also, I will be accompanying WPC scholarship winner Dan Rademacher to Rwanda to attend the Rwanda Plumbing Organization’s training conference in June. Thanks to all the previous WPC members who had the vision to start these initiatives that all countries of the world can experience.

Everyone please have a happy holiday season and a happy New Year.

WPC Chairman
Tom Bigley

The World Plumbing Council is accepting applications for its three annual scholarships, two of which are awarded to plumbers to travel internationally to learn more about the industry, and the third of which goes to a trainer/instructor to attend the annual UA Instructor Training Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The scholarships are available to individuals actively involved in their local plumbing industry, particularly in education and training. They help create an educational exchange between plumbing industry participants from different countries; increase awareness of the contribution plumbing has made to global health, sustainability, and the environment; and provide a platform for networking and relationship building on a global level, helping strengthen the inter-connectedness of the global plumbing industry.

The Scholarship for Least Developed and Developing Countries is a one-time grant for an individual actively involved in their local plumbing industry, particularly in education and training, to travel to another country for the purpose of developing and contributing further plumbing industry knowledge. The applicant must be a citizen of either a least developed country or a developing country.

The Education and Training Scholarship is a one-time grant for an individual actively involved in their local plumbing industry, particularly in education and training, to travel to another country for the purpose of developing and contributing further plumbing industry knowledge.

The United Association Instructor Training Program Scholarship is a grant awarded annually to a trainer, instructor, or teacher (or trainee instructor or teacher) from the plumbing industry (plumbing, sprinkler fitting or HVAC), to travel to the United States to take part in the annual UA Instructor Training Program (ITP). The ITP is held each August in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. The recipient will take part in a range of courses that are available over the course of one week.

“The UA is excited to accept recipients from abroad again after a long three years of banned travel,” WPC Chair and UA Director of Plumbing Services Tom Bigley said. “The friendships that we made with past winners Jean Claude Twagirimana from Rwanda and Sudip Das from India have continued to this day. We look forward to welcoming next year’s scholarship winner to ITP and sharing all the new technology and training methods for plumbing, as well as learning from our guest about how they train in their countries.”

Each scholarship provides up to $15,000 in funding to cover approved expenses for the duration of the program. The scholarship applications may be downloaded from https://www.worldplumbing.org/scholarship/. The application deadline for each scholarship is Sept. 30, 2023.

Submitted by The IAPMO Group

The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) was pleased to participate in the Plumbing and Heating event at WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition (WSC2022SE), Nov. 2-4 at GROHE Technikum in Lahr, Germany. The competition showcased national champions from 20 WorldSkills member countries.

IAPMO CEO and World Plumbing Council (WPC) Deputy Chair Dave Viola relished the opportunity to present medals to the winning champions, concluding a thrilling three-day competition at the celebratory closing ceremony Nov. 5. Viola was joined by IAPMO Chief Administrative Officer and WPC Secretariat Gaby Davis, as well as IAPMO President David Gans and Vice President Steve Panelli, both experiencing a WorldSkills competition for the first time.

Plumbing and Heating competitor Florian Bliem of Austria captured the gold. Joint silver medals were awarded to Tom Pean of France and Marton Offner of Hungary, and the bronze medal was won by Tai-Yu Chen of Chinese Taipei.

Indicative of the high standard of this year’s long-awaited, rescheduled competition, six additional entrants were awarded medallions for achieving a final assessment above WorldSkills’ benchmark for excellence: Sangyeop Kim (Korea), Saku Hurtig (Finland), Luca Herzog (Switzerland), Connor Cruden (United Kingdom), Fabian Grün (Germany), and Yuto Itahashi (Japan).

“What we are seeing today at WorldSkills is the best of the best, showcasing their skills and inspiring other people to do their best quality work,” Gans said. “We are looking at the future of plumbing, and plumbers. These are the young men and women who are going to take plumbing to the next level and help change the world.”

The event also showcased a new Plumbing Champions training activity, sponsored by the WPC and delivered by the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH), charitable arm of The IAPMO Group. Three young students, accompanied by one mentor and one interpreter — all from Ukraine — were sponsored to participate in an educational workshop completing the same test project as was tackled in the WorldSkills competition, guided and supported by technical experts from IAPMO and GROHE.

Mayor of the city of Lahr Markus Ibert paid a special tribute to the Ukrainian group in his closing remarks.

“I would like to thank all participants who made this special event possible, and I wish you all the best for your ongoing life; success, and peace — especially to our guests from Ukraine. To you, to your families and your neighbors, have a good time, in peace, and with benefits, for a good life.”

The biennial WorldSkills international competition returns in September 2024, when it will be hosted in Lyon, France.

For more information about WorldSkills, visit https://worldskills.org/.

Submitted by Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI)

PMI’s Rethink Water initiative is an effort to assure clean and safe water for future generations by building a coalition of individuals, organizations and policymakers with a shared vision of sustainably managed water. Knieps introduced a video about the initiative and emphasized the importance of addressing the water shortages caused by climate change and aging infrastructure. Rethink Water is one of an “amazing array of forward-looking initiatives” PMI has planned for 2023 and beyond, he said.

Submitted by Charles ZM Kapasula, a plumbing tutor/master plumber at Pwezi Rural Polytechnic, Rumphi, Malawi (Central Africa).

The water cycle is part of our everyday lives, but climate change may have dire consequences for everyday water access. Climate change is already affecting water access for people around my country, Malawi, causing more severe droughts and floods. Climate change impacts the water cycle by influencing when, where and how much precipitation falls. It also leads to more severe weather events over time. Increasing global temperatures causes water to evaporate in larger amounts, which will lead to higher levels of atmospheric water vapor and more frequent, heavy and intense rains in the coming years.

Wanton cutting down of trees in the remote areas has led to more floods since more water will fall, which vegetation and soil can absorb. The remaining water, or runoff, drains into nearby waterways, picking up contaminants like fertilizer on the way. This eventually travels to larger bodies of water like lakes, estuaries, and the ocean, polluting the water supply and limiting water access for humans and the ecosystem. When fertilizers from farming wash into lakes and rivers, they promote the rapid growth of algae. This results in algae blooms in coasts and waterways with clouds of green, blue-green, red or brown algae. The blooms block sunlight from reaching underwater life and diminish oxygen levels within the water. Toxins from the blooms can kill off fish and other aquatic animals, make people sick, and even kill humans. These toxins are especially dangerous because they can survive purification processes, making tap water unfit to consume once contaminated.

There are many things everyone can do to lessen the impact of climate change. Some measures include growing your own fruits and vegetables or buying locally grown produce, since produce is often transported to grocery stores from far away by trucks, which add more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. You can also walk or ride a bike instead of driving a car. On a larger scale, industries that are dependent on fossil fuels need to make the switch to renewable, cleaner energy sources to influence our planet for the better.

TIME MANAGEMENT

He who gains time, gains everything.

Your Talents, Your Time

This is the slogan that I use in my plumbing classes. Each one of us has different talents as well as differences in our physical and mental attitudes. Additionally, we have our individual attitudes. Nevertheless, we all have one thing in common — time!

Developing a Time Management Attitude

In the late 1700s Benjamin Franklin wrote: “If you want to enjoy the greatest luxuries of life of having enough time to rest, think things through, get your things done and know you have done them to the best of your ability there is only one way. Take time to think and plan activities in the order of their importance.” The value of time is in every body’s mouth, but few people’s practice.

Discovering Preferential Time

Time is like money; when invested wisely you receive huge dividends. Preferential time is the time spent engaging in favorable or preferred activities. Discover your preferential time by analyzing where your time goes now.

What to Do

As you practice time management, you will find many diversions. In order to minimize the number, a daily “to-do” list will prove invaluable. This daily list of the activities you need to complete will help you stay organized. Finally, it is important to always to do “first things first” and not go to the next task until the first is completed.

Procrastination

This is defined as leaving until tomorrow what you left yesterday until today. Realize that procrastination is a large waste of time. Since time is life, by procrastinating you are throwing your life away. I tell my students that when a task seems just too big, chop it into smaller units and do one at a time. Provide a special incentive for yourself, make decisions quickly and act on those decisions immediately. Take the last minutes of each working day to analyze your accomplishments, develop the to-do list for the next day and resolve to do better. Decide to make every day of your life meaningful.

Ideas to Transfuse Time

Time is a playful kitten; she creeps up on you and drinks the day like a bowl of milk. Throughout life, people seek to find new ways of helping themselves. As youngsters in school, children quickly learn to ask questions to get to teachers to help them with their problems. In sports, athletes discover that the discipline of practice pays large dividends during competitions. Finally, as adults, men and women have learned that numerous resources, such as the WPC, are readily available to help them achieve their goals. Like a snowflake, the shape of your time management tools will be yours and yours alone.

Submitted by the Rwanda Plumbers Organization

The Rwanda Plumbers Organization held an Open Day event on 21 October, 2022 to promote the plumbing industry in Rwanda.

The event was a great success; photos from the day may be viewed at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thenewtimes/albums/72177720303077273

Submitted by Master Plumbers (MPMSAA)

The world’s most abundant, efficient and cleanest-burning substance is gaining more and more prominence as Australia explores ways to meet its target of zero net emissions by 2050.

With hydrogen now being used in part to power households, cars and barbecues across the country, the sky is the limit as to how far the clean, green alternative fuel can take us.

And with a National Hydrogen Strategy guiding Australia’s short- and long-term futures, it is clear that hydrogen will play a major role in Australia for generations to come.

So, what does the plumbing industry need to know and what role can it play as part of the transition towards a zero-emissions future?

Dr. Alan Finkel, who served as Australia’s chief scientist between 2016 and 2020 and is now the special adviser to the Australian government on low-emissions technology, says having plumbers and gasfitters upskilled to work with hydrogen will be critical.

“Producing hydrogen by splitting water is simple in principle, but complex in practice,” he said. “Each large-scale electrolyser needs a lot of skilled work to connect it to balance off plant equipment such as air conditioning, water deionisation units, hydrogen gas compressors and pipelines.

“Unlike solar panels, the pumps, valves, compressors and air conditioning systems will require regular maintenance. If building and industrial heating shifts from natural gas to hydrogen, there will be considerable work required to upgrade the appliances and in-building pipes.”

Hydrogen can be produced as a gas or liquid and can be delivered through existing gas pipelines. Green hydrogen, which is entirely emissions-free, is produced by a renewable energy-fueled electrolyser that sends an electric current through water to split hydrogen from oxygen.

Over time, and with modifications to existing gas networks and appliances, hydrogen has the potential to replace natural gas for everyday activities like domestic cooking as well as heating and hot water.

The National Hydrogen Strategy, released in 2019 and developed by a task force led by Dr. Finkel, sets out a vision for a clean, innovative, safe and competitive hydrogen industry. The strategy outlines the piloting, trialing and demonstration of hydrogen projects before large-scale market activation from 2025 onwards.

Read more: https://plumber.com.au/news/understand-the-hydrogen-hype/#!

Submitted by Rory Macnamara | Director/ Editor: Plumbing Africa Journal, SA Affordable Housing and Timber IQ Newsletter

The new concept for exhibitors launched in May this year has been received with great success.

South Africa is a large country with our plumbing fraternity spread far and wide, and it was noticeable that many could not visit an in situ exhibition due to a variety of reasons like traveling and overnight stays whilse also running a plumbing business, which is very hands-on.

PTE was created to fill this gap by being the one that would take exhibitors to various out-of-city venues to engage with business owners, plumbers, engineers, operations managers, and municipalities.

It is described as a high-impact event that lasts five hours, allowing sufficient time for industry to attend without affecting their businesses.

The 2023 dates and places have been set as follows:

Feb. 23 – Polokwane, which is in the province of Limpopo and boasts its own international airport.

May 4 – Middleburg/Witbank Mpumalanga province

June 1 – Durban-KZN Province, with its own international airport

Aug. 17 – Bloemfontein in the Free State province

Oct. 12 – Near East Rand/Jo’Burg South in the Ekurhuleni province close to OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa’s main airport hub.

We are only too pleased to be able to answer any queries that our overseas manufacturers may have.

rory@interactmedia.co.za

Submitted by Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland (MPAQ)

On Friday 14 Oct., the 2022 Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards recognized the outstanding achievements, hard work and dedication of Queensland-based individuals and companies. This year’s winners have broken all expectations through growth, development, community engagement and standards of excellence, making Queensland’s plumbing and gas industry beyond compare.

Presented by Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland (MPAQ) in partnership with event partner Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), a record-breaking 722 attendees were at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) to celebrate the outstanding achievements made by plumbing and gas individuals and companies across 16 award categories.

Returning to host the ceremony for a second year was former AFL player Richard Champion, whose football career spanned 14 years in total, including 10 pivotal years with the Brisbane Bears/Lions before his retirement at the end of the 2000 season. Champion once again entertained attendees with his quick wit and humour, while expertly emceeing the celebration of this year’s apprentices, plumbers, gasfitters, hydraulic consultants, companies, and other industry individuals who are leading the way in the plumbing and gas industry.

This year five exceptional apprentices were recognised across six award categories that are dedicated to recognising the hard work and talent of the individuals who make up the future of the plumbing and gas industry. Most notable of the apprentice winners was Daniel Crimmins, of Calibre Plumbing and Drainage, who won the Third Year Apprentice of the Year Award before also taking home the Reece Queensland Apprentice of the Year Award. Tasking himself with finding a new passion through a career change in his early thirties, Daniel joined the plumbing industry and has set himself apart with his very high level of technical knowledge, his passion for the industry, and his willingness to see projects through from start to finish.

Every year, the BUSSQ Service Excellence Award is always strongly contended, this year receiving a record number of nominations. The 2022 recipient of this competitive and popular award was Evermore Plumbing & Gas Pty Ltd. Evermore Plumbing & Gas are led by the belief that their clients’ needs come first and foremost, and this award recognises the fostered a sense of community and team pride within their business, their consistently high standard of work, and their relationships with repeat clients.

The husband-and-wife duo behind Brisbane company Q Plumb and Gas Pty Ltd both took home awards that recognise an individual’s success in the plumbing and gas industry. Paula Brodhurst-Hill won the Austbrokers Comsure Andrea Vogler Women in Business Award, and she has been recognised for the way she injected new vision, set higher goals, and worked hard to “shake things up” when she joined the business in 2016, leading to increased profitability and turnover in just a few short years. The Department of Energy and Public Works Tradesperson of the Year Award was presented to Mark Brodhurst-Hill who, as a plumber gasfitter, and business owner, strives to be the best at what he does. Having started the business over 12 years ago, Mark was recognised for utilising innovative approaches combined with technical knowledge and a good eye for detail to deliver outstanding service. With a focus on networking, training, and mentoring, Mark has ingrained continual improvement and lifelong learning in himself, his business, and his staff and is most proud of guiding his team to grow in both technical ability and knowledge.

Central Queensland business owner Lachlan Cooke of Tropical Coast Plumbing took home the highly competitive RWC Businessperson of the Year. As a plumber, Lachlan Cooke has over 22 years of experience striving to provide the best plumbing service and support to customers, and as a business owner, Lachlan is a leader with vision, advocating that all employees are equally important and all roles are pivotal to each other. Initially based in Mackay, rapid growth and demand has seen Lachlan take Tropical Coast Plumbing and extend their reach and influence across Rockhampton, Yeppoon and soon to include Clermont and Townsville.

MPAQ Executive Director Penny Cornah praised the number of nominees who applied this year and the high calibre of projects put forward.

“All of the nominees for 2022 were outstanding, whether they made it to the finalist stage or not. Their achievements should be acknowledged, and it’s worth noting how challenging it has been for our judges to determine our finalists and winners,” she said.

“The amount of effort and professionalism the companies and individuals in our industry have shown this year has been exemplary. It has been fantastic to see and is a testament to the focus that has been put on development and training. These continued improvements in skill and knowledge are clearly visible in their approaches to work and business operation.”

Cornah continued, “We are incredibly proud that the Plumbing & Gas Industry Awards are able to recognise a diverse range of individuals and companies, from the innovative and exciting projects that have helped to contribute to a sustainable future to the apprentices who highlight the positive future of our industry and the leaders who work hard, perform exceptional work, and inspire others.”

2022 Plumbing and Gas Industry Award Winners

Submitted by Alberto J. Fossa, Abrinstal

In Brazil, more and more public service concessionaires — such as sanitation companies and piped gas distributors — in addition to construction companies, have been concerned with the quality of installations of water and sewage networks and also of combustible gases. This has driven the improvement in the quality of installations and the search for the Building Installation Performance (BIP) label.

This label, which is completing 20 years, was born with the name Qualinstal and was created with the purpose of certifying installation companies to guarantee the level of quality of installation services, provide greater security for users, increase compliance and performance of installations, and to increase the sector’s productivity.

“Increasingly, the market recognizes that quality installations make all the difference. It is good for installing companies, for construction companies, public service concessionaires, and especially for the end user,” said Alberto Fossa, the executive director of Abrinstal (the association responsible for the BIP) and a member of the WPC board.

BIP helps companies stand out in the market

The BIP certification label helps installation companies stand out in the market, which is increasingly competitive, so it is necessary to differentiate from other installation companies to increase the chances of attracting new contracts and growing sustainably.

The BIP makes an analysis with an improvement bias of the company as a whole. One of BIP’s greatest successes is that, in addition to aiming at the safety, performance and quality of the installations, the costs involved in the process tend to decrease and productivity increases because as companies start to make better use of materials, there is an optimization of resources in performing the service provided, thus avoiding rework.

For construction companies and public service concessionaires, the main benefits of BIP are improved quality of installations, reduced post-work complaints, greater safety for the end user and increased satisfaction.

In addition to the certification of installing companies, the BIP project promotes, discusses and establishes technical, performance and management requirements applicable to plumbing companies in the execution of their services and in the compliance of building installations.

It has five fundamental pillars: projects, products, labor, installation building services and, finally, infrastructure itself. It is a project that follows market changes and meets the latest requirements of the civil construction sector, making regulations and technical standards compatible and ensuring the safety, performance and compliance of building and infrastructure facilities.

List of sponsors of the BIP 2022 Project:

Submitted by BPEC

The drive for renewable energy and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels is, now more than ever, at the forefront of the UK government’s “Net Zero Strategy.” With the increase in renewable energy comes the need for training and qualifications to ensure we have a workforce with the “green skills” to install zero- and low-carbon systems.

BPEC is proud to have been a trailblazer in this field, and for more than a decade we have developed and offered renewable training materials, courses, and qualifications for the BSE sector to fulfil our mission of “identifying and meeting the skills needs for the future.”

With a UK-wide network of approved centres offering renewable training courses, BPEC is keen to extend its support to help other training providers develop their renewables portfolio.

By working with BPEC, training providers can access qualifications and courses in the following areas:

• Heat Pumps (Air Source and Ground Source)
• Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems
• Solar Photovoltaic Systems
• Electrical Energy Storage Systems (Battery Storage)
• Low Temperature Hot Water Heating Systems
• Awareness of Environmental Systems
• Energy Efficiency (Part L)
• Domestic Ventilation Systems
• Solid Biomass

View the full list on the BPEC website along with a range of renewables training materials to support learners.

All courses meet industry standards and are recognised by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), an organisation with which BPEC has worked closely and supported for a number of years.

MCS CEO Ian Rippin said, “We are proud of the collaborative work we undertake with BPEC, especially when it comes to driving up competency, skills and knowledge across the renewables sector.

“As like-minded, not-for-profit organisations our shared aim is to ensure contractors have the right skills for renewable and low-carbon installations. As an industry we need to increase the number of installers to service a growing market and this needs to be supported by good coverage of quality training and qualifications across the whole of the UK.”

Neil Collishaw, BPEC CEO said, “With the increasing government focus on reaching net zero emissions by 2050, training providers need to be prepared for the anticipated surge in those looking for renewable and low carbon training and qualifications.”

“Whether you’re already a BPEC centre looking to expand your provision, or a centre who is completely new to BPEC, we encourage you to take advantage of our significant expertise in this area and let us support you in your green skills journey.”

For more information visit: https://bpec.org.uk/qualifications/renewables-qualifications/

Article contributed by: Allan S. Dumalay, nampap,inc./ WPC individual member

Filipino master plumber received the lowest rank among professionals in the Philippine plumbing industry. The basic qualification for a master plumbing board exam was being a high school graduate —recognized as level four of the international educational standard. Level five requires a short-term tertiary education, level six a bachelor’s degree, level seven a masteral and level eight a doctoral.

It was also recognized that most licensed and registered Master Plumbers are multi-disciplined and a diverse group. A majority are also a licensed architect, environmental planner, and/or civil/sanitary/ mechanical/electrical/chemical/mining engineer, to name a few; there are also business/accounting, educator, and a nurse. Surprisingly, some academe and government employee Master Plumbers hold doctor of philosophy degrees in their entity. This diversity signifies the importance and requirement of this profession in the society.

The World Health Organization has declared “plumbers to be the most important frontline health workers in the world.”

With the support of the Philippines Professional Regulation Commission — Board of Master Plumbing, four specializations will be introduced: 1. System Design, 2. Construction/ Installation, 3. Testing and Commissioning, and 4. Operation and Maintenance. With these specializations, it is expected that professionals will dedicate their continuing professional education into their specific field, and not waste their time and effort becoming overqualified only to land into a job mismatch.

Rather than representing a late response, this progress is an appropriate conformance to the international practice for mutual recognitions among neighboring nations. “Mabuhay! ang mga Dalubhasang Tubero. – Long Live! Master Plumbers.

The National Master Plumbers Association of the Philippines, Incorporated (NAMPAP, INC.) will hold its 87^th Foundation Anniversary and National Convention on November 18-19, 2022, at Century Park Hotel, Manila. For more information contact: nampapinc@gmail.com

Submitted by Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia 

The Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia reports that 2022 has been a year of notable achievements. Here is its summary of the most significant successes.

Policy successes

The association had historic victories with two legislative changes it has been lobbying hard to achieve in recent years.

• Western Australia’s long-awaited new security of payment laws, which were finalised in 2021, became effective in March this year. The new laws provide licenced plumbing contractors who do subcontracting work in the building and construction industry with greater protection regarding contract wording and payment terms.
• The new Plumbing Code of Australia was adopted in September and accepted by all states and territories. Among other changes, the code reduces to 0.25 percent the lead content allowed in copper alloy products used with drinking water. This new limit will be enforced from Sept. 1, 2025, after a transition period.

Engagement with Government

The association approached officials in the WA Government with a detailed submission about ways to reform Western Australia’s building and construction sector. The submission, which is called ‘Building on Solid Foundations’, was favourably received and has led to a series of positive follow-on discussions with decision-makers.

Media exposure

The association’s media releases and other media exposure throughout the year – including the publication by The West Australian newspaper of an op-ed by CEO Murray Thomas – succeeded in bringing public attention to important topics related to plumbing and public health.

Consumer awareness campaign

The association’s successful radio advertising campaign, which began in 2021, continues to remind consumers they should only use licensed plumbers. In addition to educating the public about the risks of using unqualified people to do plumbing work, the campaign has sent more business to association members.

Waterwise Plumber Program

In a continuation of a long-standing collaboration with Water Corporation, which is a WA government-owned supplier of water and water infrastructure, the Association launched an updated version of the Waterwise Plumber Program. The program is free for all plumbers in Western Australia and equips them with the latest knowledge about water-efficient products and services.

Industry activities

The association’s annual Industry Information Forum series again toured regional and metropolitan areas across Western Australia. The forums, which include presentations and discussions about a range of industry topics, expanded in scope this year to include coverage of a new professional network the association has created for people who have administration roles in plumbing firms.

Other industry activities included social networking events and the annual golf day, all of which were well attended by plumbers and suppliers.

Awards for Excellence

After a two-year break caused by the pandemic, the annual Awards for Excellence competition returned this year and attracted many high-quality excellent entries. The awards program encourages members to have pride in being professional plumbers and encourages friendly rivalry that has a positive effect on the overall performance of the industry.

Member benefits

The association added considerable depth and bread to the business tools, resources and other benefits that are exclusively available for members.

Article submitted by Stuart McConnell – Technical Officer, MPAQ

If there was a buzzword in the industry right now it would be hydrogen! Everyone’s talking about hydrogen, but nobody really knows much about it!

We are in the midst of a climate crisis; we have an overloaded power grid, the cost of energy is soaring, the cost of living is the highest it’s been in 20 years, interest rates are on the rise, and it can’t all be blamed on the pandemic.

Short-sighted governments and a lack of investment in future fuels has played its part. It’s fair to say that times are somewhat tough. We are all feeling it in our pockets, whether it’s the electric bill at home, the gas bill, or the cost of filling up the car.

It’s not all doom and gloom though; QLD pulled off a magnificent victory over the NSW Blues in the 2022 State of Origin Series!

So, coming back to hydrogen. It is hoped that hydrogen can provide a green renewable energy source and contribute toward the net-zero target in 2050.

Hydrogen has the potential to reduce our planet’s carbon footprint of our planet and provide cleaner forms of energy. In the long run, the more sustainable green energy we have, the cheaper the price will be for consumers.

Hydrogen being used as a fuel gas will fall in the scope of works for gas fitters.

So why hydrogen?

• Hydrogen is the 10^th most abundant element on Earth.
• Hydrogen is a flammable, gaseous fuel.
• It can be transported like natural gas.
• It burns broadly similar to other flammable gases.
• It has the highest energy density by mass of any chemical fuel.
• It’s non-toxic and non-carcinogenic.
• Hydrogen has been used safely industrially for decades.
• 50 million tonnes are produced worldwide every year.
• It has been safely stored underground since the 1960s.
• Hydrogen gas combustion creates no smoke and best of all no carbon.

It may be a few years before we start seeing homes in Australia running on 100% hydrogen gas but we will likely see localized areas or suburbs being trialed and tested.

This is already being rolled out in the UK and Europe with a project named H100 in Fife, Scotland.

UK boiler manufacturers such as Worcester Bosch, Baxi and Ideal have developed and built 100% hydrogen appliances. These super green appliances are being utilized in a hydrogen home running on 100% hydrogen gas. This is a real-life house that will promote hydrogen gas combustion and create customer awareness.

The house has a hydronic heating system, a gas stove for cooking and a space heater. These appliances are all running on 100% hydrogen gas.

Closer to home, here in Australia, Rinnai recently announced its 100% hydrogen continuous flow hot water unit. Other manufacturers will no doubt have appliances in development.

All the big players are getting involved in hydrogen, which is a great sign of things to come.

Our first experience with hydrogen will likely be a mixture with natural gas. It will be injected into our natural gas network, creating what is known as a blended gas.

Hydrogen gas would be injected, creating a blend of up to 13% into parts of the natural gas network.

Quantities above 13% can begin to affect the Wobbe Index of the gas, meaning that appliances would need adjustment if higher concentrations of hydrogen were added. Keeping the blend to 13% and below means there would be no adverse effect to existing appliances and consumers would not know the difference. This would lower the carbon production from these appliances by up to 7%. It’s not a massive gain, but every little bit helps!

When Type A gas appliances go through the approval process, part of the testing involves combustion with blends of hydrogen. Some Type B gas devices may require some alteration as they operate at finely tuned parameters. Combustion analysis and adjustment may therefore be required to ensure efficient combustion on a blended supply. Hydrogen has other uses such as fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are already powering cars made by the likes of Toyota and Hyundai.

There are buses, trains, trucks and even forklift trucks utilizing this energy source. You will soon see garbage trucks around Brisbane powered by hydrogen! Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are a welcomed alternative to petrol and diesel guzzling motors. Airbus and Rolls Royce both have projects to utilize hydrogen as a viable option for air travel. You may even know that hydrogen is the fuel of choice for NASA to propel their rockets into space.

There are many ways to create hydrogen, some are greener than others. Most of the worldwide hydrogen production is done by burning fossil fuels. The long-term aim is to produce hydrogen in greener methods that don’t damage the environment. Utilizing renewable energy sources to power hydrogen electrolysers is a green way to do this.

Queensland is a very popular choice for hydrogen production, as an abundance of space and the beautiful sunshine make it a great location to harness the sun’s energy for to power production.

MPAQ Associate member Pure Hydrogen is a company focused on providing the best energy solutions for hydrogen and clean energy here in Australia. They have multiple projects here in The Sunshine State with the aim to supply hydrogen fuel to Australia and Asia. As this emerging energy source becomes more accepted by the public and the cost of new technology becomes lower, we believe it will be used in a wide range of applications.

Goldman Sachs has said that green hydrogen is “a once-in-a-generation opportunity: We estimate it could give rise to a €10 Trillion (14.8 Trillion AUD) addressable market globally by 2050 for the utilities industry alone.”

With figures in the trillions being talked about, it’s clear to see why everyone’s talking about hydrogen!

Behind the scenes, industry is developing the framework for hydrogen training. Once this training package is released, RTOs (Registered Training Organizations) will develop and deliver courses providing you the skills, knowledge and technical ability to work with hydrogen.

Licensing requirements have not been decided on yet, but MPAQ will update members once we are notified.

A Hydrogen Safety Code of Practice has been published by The Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate – Resources Safety & Health Queensland. You can find it at www.rshq.qld.gov.au.

Pure Hydrogen – www.purehydrogen.com.au

UK Hydrogen house and hydrogen appliances – www.hydeploy.co.uk

For more information contact the Technical Team at Master Plumbers Association of QLD.

The global need for Competent master plumbers could be met through workplace training blended with institution-based training. The apprenticeship and mentorship training in the informal sector commonly known as the Jua Kali sector could play an important role in meeting the problem of the shortage and lack of competent and qualified plumbers capable of handling risk assessment and risk management of clean-water systems to provide safe drinking-water for socio-economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This study’s findings indicated that in the years 2020 moving forward, strides made in the training of youth and women could provide leverage in giving them decent jobs in all sectors of the economy. However, the global need for qualified, licensed, competent plumbers with more focus on youth and women in Subsaharan Africa is far from being actualized.

Read the report here: https://www.worldplumbing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/plumber-apprenticeship-training-initiatives-in-sub-Saharan-africa.pdf

Submitted by the Indian Plumbing Association

The 6th edition of Indian Plumbing Professionals League — IPPL is being conducted across 24 Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) chapters in India, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Pune and Raipur. More than 650 participants from the various chapters are participating as a two-person teams. IPPL is a knowledge-sharing and skill-enhancing competition conducted by the IPA that imparts knowledge of the best, innovative and latest plumbing practices in a professional way, in a quiz format.

Enclosing below a list of the topics that are covered during IPPL 2022.

1. Water Efficient Products
2. National Building Code
3. Uniform Illustrated Plumbing Code
4. Rainwater Harvesting
5. Hydro-Pneumatic System
6. Hot Water Systems
7. Advanced Technologies in Plumbing
8. Sewage Treatment Plant
9. Water Treatment Plant

After six weeks of rigorous sessions on weekends conducted at each city level, the winning team from all chapters will travel to Pune and participate in the semifinal. The top four teams will advance to the Grand Finale during the 28th Indian Plumbing Conference in Pune.

The Grand Finale-winning teams will get a chance to travel abroad as a study tour. IPPL has trained more than 675 hours through 225 sessions, with more than 4,500 participants over five years. Twelve winners went on study tours to the USA, Germany, Dubai and Thailand in IPPL 2017 and 2018.

The participants learn the nuances of plumbing in these sessions and receive a complimentary IPA Life membership and a hard copy of the Uniform Illustrated Plumbing Code – India, , Water Efficient Products – India, and AGGPP (A Guide to Good Plumbing Practices).

The IPPL was initiated by the IPA in 2017 to create awareness among the building fraternity — including architects, interior designers, engineers, real estate developers, MEP consultants, contractors, academicians and manufacturers — on correct plumbing practices.

Submitted by the Pratham Plumbing Training Program

The last two years have been most difficult time for all of us. The pandemic has impacted many lives and industries. But we have not lost our hope and started again with fresh joy, positivity, and enthusiasm.

• Post to pandemic (till now), the Pratham Plumbing Training Program has managed to train 1100+ youths
• Placed 900+ Youths in different segments of Plumbing Industry
• Women Engagement in Plumbing Industry – By breaking the barriers of Male dominance in Plumbing Industry, in the FY 2022 – 2023 till now we have trained 60+ Female candidates and placed them in the Service Sector (Authorized Service Provider) of Plumbing Industry

Also, to share the extracurricular activities carried in last two years :

• World Water Day – Initiated rally and free service community camp to elevate the significance of Plumbing to Save Water.
• World Plumbing Day – Initiated rally and free service community camp to spread awareness of the importance of plumbing in protecting public health.
• Daan Ustav – Celebrated every year from October 2 to 8, DaanUtsav is India’s biggest festival of giving during which people come together and perform acts of kindness by giving their time, material or money in interesting ways to any cause(s) of their choice.
• World Youth Skills Day – Been celebrated to provide a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, firms, employers’ and workers’ organizations.

Activities carried out during this occasion were as follows:

1) Free Plumbing checkup camp for Government School / Offices
2) Awareness campaigning for awareness of ‘Water Conservation’
3) Free Plumbing Hands-on Training in community for different age groups

Days of plumbing were celebrated at our training centers, across pan India locations.

HanseBAU + Bremer Altbautage 2023
20 to 22 January 2023
Bremen, Germany
https://messe-bremen.de/event/hansebau-bremer-altbautage-2023/

NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS), NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and the National Hardware Show® (NHS)
31 January – 2 February
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
https://kbis.com/

ACREX India 2023
14 to 16 March 2023
Bangalore, India
https://www.acrex.in/

CeramBath – China International Ceramic & Bathroom Fair Foshan April 2023
18 to 21 April 2023
Foshan, China
http://en.cerambath.org/

ISH-Nachlese 2023
11 to 12 May 2023
Dresden, Germany
https://ish-nachlese-dresden.de/

IAPMO/ASSE Co-Located 94th Annual Education and Business Conference
24 – 28 September 2023
San Antonio, TX, USA

https://www.iapmo.org/ibu/events/

WaterSmart Innovations 2023
3 to 10 October, 2023
Las Vegas NV, United States
https://www.watersmartinnovations.com/

Contact secretariat@worldplumbing.org to provide an event report or request listing of an upcoming event.