The IWSH Plumbing Champions team meets and greets World Plumbing Council members and other project stakeholders at Waggong e.V. during the installation works.
The IWSH team recently returned from ISH Frankfurt 2025 where its IWSH Plumbing Champions transformed a high-profile trade show demonstration into real-world impact. Over five action-packed days, more than 20 young tradespeople from eight different countries — representing various World Plumbing Council (WPC) member organizations — collaborated to install plumbing and heating systems in a downtown Frankfurt art center. This live demonstration didn’t just showcase talent, it resulted in the complete renovation of long-disused washroom facilities at the historic Kulturwerkstatt Germaniastraße, creating clean, accessible spaces for the local community to use and enjoy.
This year’s IWSH Plumbing Champions initiative built upon the momentum of our successful ISH Frankfurt 2023 pilot. This time, the program helped launch the new ISH Festival, welcoming young tradespeople from around the world to experience the synergy of innovation, education, and excitement. Alongside the Champions workshop area, the ISH Festival also featured a Creator Stage, where popular content creators shared their passion for the plumbing trade — live, authentic, and full of energy.
A skills development and capacity-building program presented in partnership with the 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.
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 II, 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,” said 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.”
“IWSH Plumbing Champions demonstrates the IWSH success equation in action: well-planned projects plus skilled plumbers plus quality products plus community training equals scalable and measurable change,” said Dave Viola, IAPMO CEO and 2025 World Plumbing Council chair.
This initiative didn’t just renovate a building; it helped redefine what plumbing can mean to a community, showcasing a career pathway full of purpose, innovation, and global connectivity. By engaging the next generation and fostering international teamwork, IWSH is proving that plumbing — done right — protects public health, sparks careers, and strengthens communities.
Keegan Calkin (left) with Australian Benjamin Tu’Uta assembling Geberit frames in the busy ISH Festival workshop area.
Seán Kearney
Last modified: July 2, 2025