Press releases

Birmingham, U.K. (Sept. 2, 2026) — IAPMO® signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) during
the 14th World Plumbing Conference, held in Birmingham, United Kingdom, establishing expanded
international collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) and the
American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE).

The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has teamed up with the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) to donate equipment used at this year's UK Skills Forum to Euston Skills Centre in London, where it will be used to train the next generation of plumbing and heating engineers. 

Gas Safety Week takes place from 14th-20th September 2026, bringing together organisations, businesses, community groups and Gas Safe registered engineers across the UK to help keep the nation gas safe. 

Following the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is pleased to announce a number of appointments to its Board of Trustees, including the election of Ernie McDonald as Chair.

At IAPMO, we have always viewed plumbing as one of the most important public health systems in the built environment. As pressure grows around public health, sustainability and global water security, the plumbing industry is being asked to deliver far more than just functional infrastructure.

BIFIS and CIPHE are pleased to announce the development of their strategic partnership, reinforcing a shared commitment to raising standards, supporting skills development, and improving outcomes for consumers across the built environment.

Following warnings from a recent House of Lords report that England could face a daily water shortfall of five billion litres by 2055 without urgent action to improve water efficiency, rainwater management and water reuse, Kevin Wellman, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), said:

Kevin Wellman, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering, has issued a statement, responding to Alan Milburn's recent report regarding young people not in education, employment or training. 

Plumbing has always been more than simply pipes and fittings. Today, this is more apparent than ever before. It has become a truly hybrid profession, where craftsmanship meets digital tools, sustainability targets, and increasingly complex compliance requirements.