Founded in 1906, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is the professional body for the UK plumbing and heating industry.

Membership is made up of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds such as consultants, specifiers, designers, public health engineers, lecturers, trainers, trainees and practitioners.

The CIPHE has a membership of around 10,000 including approximately 260 manufacturers and distributors, which support its work as Industrial Associates. Whilst the majority of members live in the UK, some 750 are resident in Hong Kong and a further 300 are resident in over 30 other countries.

In Britain there are around 50 active local Branches grouped within six areas. Suitably qualified CIPHE members also enrolled as Registered Plumbers, are recognised by the Secretary of State, DEFRA, as "Approved Contractor Persons" under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 in England and Wales and the Water Byelaws (Scotland) 2000.

The CIPHE is a member of the Construction Industry Council - www.cic.org.uk - and a licensed member of the Engineering Council (UK) – www.engc.org.uk.

For more information on CIPHE please download the history of the CIPHE.

The objects and purposes of the Institute are to:

(a) advance for the benefit and education of the public the science, practice and principles of plumbing and heating engineering;

(b) further the education of persons, whether resident in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, in the use of materials, apparatus, measures, methods and precautions related to the science, practice and principles of plumbing and heating engineering particularly for the purpose of enhancing the safety and health of the public;

(c) promote the study of, and research into, the science, practice and principles of plumbing and heating engineering and allied subjects and to publish the useful result of such study and research for the benefit and education of the public.