IWSH Plumbing Champions returns to ISH Frankfurt 2025

The International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH) is excited to announce its latest IWSH Plumbing Champions initiative, running March 17-21 at ISH Frankfurt 2025: the world’s leading trade fair for HVAC and water.

Building on the success of our pilot collaboration at ISH Frankfurt 2023, this year’s program will help launch the new ISH Festival, which welcomes young tradespeople attending the event from all over the world to experience inspiration and action from exhibitors that perfectly combine practice and fun. Alongside the IWSH Plumbing Champions workshop area, the ISH Festival will present a Creator Stage where well-known content creators will share their passion for the trade — live, authentic and full of energy.

A skills development and capacity-building program presented in partnership with the World Plumbing Council (WPC) at high-profile events, trade fairs, and skills competitions, IWSH Plumbing Champions highlights the essential role of plumbing professionals as champions of public health and resource conservation. Through hands-on installation projects and industry showcases, the program transforms perceptions of the trade while making a tangible impact in local communities.

“We are very pleased to welcome this unique collaboration and all participants back to Frankfurt," said Peter Paul Thoma, chairman of the Innung SHK Frankfurt — the trade association for sanitary, heating, and air conditioning technology — and elected representative in Frankfurt City Council’s Committee for Culture, Science, and Sports. “This program contributes to the advancement of our industry by enabling us to exchange knowledge and establish new international partnerships. We are excited to welcome a new group of plumbing apprentices and young professionals — including participants from Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, the United States, and from across Germany – to experience the very best that ISH Frankfurt has to offer."

Over five days, the IWSH Plumbing Champions team, representing various member organizations from across the World Plumbing Council network, will work together to build a series of internal plumbing and heating systems for installation at Kulturwerkstatt Germaniastraße, an arts center in downtown Frankfurt. The team will renovate the arts center’s existing and out-of-use washroom facilities. Additional technical tasks and challenges will be assigned with other industry partners across the ISH Festival site.

“IWSH Plumbing Champions demonstrates the IWSH success equation in action: well-planned projects + skilled plumbers + quality products + community training = scalable and measurable change,” said Dave Viola, IAPMO CEO and 2025 World Plumbing Council Chair.

Waggong e.V., which oversees the arts center, has been active in Frankfurt's independent cultural scene for more than 30 years, with an extensive and innovative musical training program at the heart of its work. The organization supports funding opportunities for local musicians and cultural groups from other sectors. Originally built as a neighborhood air raid shelter during World War 2, the Kulturwerkstatt Germaniastraße building has served formally and informally as offices, rehearsal rooms, apartments, a daycare center, a printing shop, and even a cinema (cinema seats were only recently removed). 

“Today, under Waggong management and with support from the city of Frankfurt, about 1,500 musicians and other cultural workers benefit from the center’s offerings,” explained Katrin Zurborg of the Waggong e.V. management team. “The [new bathroom] improvements will allow Waggong to host larger events and provide better facilities for its growing membership.”

The upcoming IWSH Plumbing Champions initiative at ISH Frankfurt 2025 not only provides a vital service to the local community but also showcases the opportunities, sustainability, and social impact of a career in plumbing. By fostering global collaboration and engaging with young professionals, the program aims to inspire the next generation of plumbers, demonstrating that plumbing is more than just a trade — it’s a vital force for public health and community development.

Attending ISH Frankfurt 2025? Visit our IWSH Plumbing Champions workshop in the ISH Festival area, Hall 6.1 (space D20).

Follow @IWSHFoundation #IWSHPlumbingChampions for updates from the upcoming project.