Sree Kumar - Director General of IAPMO India

It was in December last year that I joined this wonderful organization, IAPMO - India. When I go down memory lane, my thoughts take me back 42 years when, in December 1968, I joined the Indian Armed Forces. In fact, I donned the uniform even before that at the age of 12 when I joined a military school.

As I switch on the rewind button, my mind takes me to an era in my life akin to a meandering river. The river, beginning as a thin silvery line, flows over different terrains, winding over rocks and pebbles, bouquets and brickbats. Finally, at the end, what emerges is a mighty river on whom lakhs of lives depend. The saga is indeed not a bed of roses. It has been a long, tough, strenuous, challenging, hazardous walk over a canvas of risks, and survival in different situations, inclement weather and inhospitable terrain, until I reached the pinnacle in the organization as Lieutenant General, Signal Officer in Chief and then to Superannuate with a sense of achievement at the age of 60.

For two years, my wife and I settled down to lead a retired and relaxed life of peace and contentment in God’s own Country with our little Dalmatian, Bruno, to keep company — our own two fledglings having left our nest long since to raise their own families.

Considering my position — socially and professionally — upon my retiring, I was flooded with job offers with attractive remunerations both from public and private sectors. None appealed to me. A self appraisal warned me that I would not fit into any commercial money spinning ventures. Even though I was competent and suitable, I did not find favor in public sectors. (I later realized that my negatives were based in integrity, honesty and a reputation of not being gullible.) Thank God. Lady luck smiled on me and destiny turned for the better. Deep down I always wanted to contribute to nation building.

March 1, 2010, was a “red letter day.” I flew in from Trivandrum to Bangalore for a luncheon meeting with Sudhakaran Nair (popularly known as SN), introduced to me by my wife’s cousin, Mr. Venugopal. The same was followed by a telephone interview with Megan Lehtonen while I was trekking in the Himalayas, a dinner meeting with Allen Inlow and Megan at Chennai, meeting elite dignitaries of IPA and IAPMO at Delhi. The vibrations jelled and my second career took wings. By now I was fully charged up and raring to start afresh. Two years of restful retirement was enough for me.

The office that I now head has a limited staff of sprightly youngsters who make me forget my age, and I manage to remain agile. On the professional front, I am learning that good and effective plumbing is as important as brushing one’s teeth. I am also learning that the humble plumber plays a pivotal role in contributing to the world’s global health. I am learning that the plumbing industry and green revolution go hand in hand. Together they make the world a better place in which to live.

I am learning that the industry is like an octopus, spreading its tentacles positively and effectively to every sector of society — be it upliftment, hygiene or employment. I am enjoying every bit of this learning process and am ready to face the challenges squarely with determination and confidence combined with the disciplined qualities ingrained in me through military training.

Wow! What a culture change. Autocracy to familiarity, strict discipline to cordiality, punctuality to convenience, flag cars to auto rickshaws, a spoiled support system to self reliance, business class travel to economy, army guest rooms to five star hotels — all acceptable except for typing long mails on one’s own till Ms. Priyanka was assigned to help out. However, this tryst has so far been very exciting and I feel that I have begun to acquit myself well. I never imagined that I would be cooking for myself and driving my own car to work —especially coming from an appointment where all these were at my beck and call!

Then why the convergence and my acceptance? Well, both the professions contribute to a noble cause — ‘Nation Building’ in their own way. In uniform, with a motto “Service Before Self,” was for honor, welfare and safety of the country, whereas IAPMO stands for health, safety and welfare of society.

Well, the transition from soldier to plumber was instant, accepted and enjoyable. I joined a wonderful team of colleagues in the United States and India. I’m most impressed with my global CEO, Mr. Russ Chaney, a man of vision, forth righteousness, ambition, dynamism and above all clarity.

The organization has grown into me. From a stage of not being able to spell “plumbing,” today I am quasi-technical. And now I am very confident of addressing the subject to a crowd — Indian or international. Propagating codes and standards, indulging in training at all levels of plumbing, skill development and uplift of the downtrodden and dropouts for economic independence with accreditation and certification are all our key result areas. We are growing. Our prime minister has a vision: address the youth of the nation to give them skills, employment and economic independence to wean them away from violence and terrorism.

My short learning and grooming tenure until now has taken me through seminars, conferences and workshops, all aimed at safety of the construction industry and the green revolution. We, a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, are geared and ready.

The journey from Dec. 1, 2010, until now has seen: Plumbex at Mumbai, where we released the Uniform Swimming Pool Code – India (UPSC-I), jointly prepared by IPA and IAPMO - India); SCAT meeting at Delhi; CSE meeting (IPA and IAPMO jointly have contributed to their document on water efficiency, and a chapter on Water Efficient Products India, subsequently produced as a WEP-I document as a publication); IPA TC meeting; ANSI meetings; CII seminars; IGBC conference and exhibition; and to top it all off WPD celebrations at Bangalore — a major event jointly organized by IPA and IAPMO India that witnessed delegates from all over the world, including CEO Chaney, Dan Daniels, president of IAPMO, the chairman of the WPC and representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), deliberating on “Plumbing – Vital to Global Health.”

Today IPA and IAPMO are in the process of reviewing the 2008 UPC-I for publication as the 2011 UPC-I, scheduled for release in November during the IPA conference at Delhi.

From just plumbing when I joined up, we are steadily and cautiously moving forward. Our Mechanical Directorate is in the process of preparing the Uniform Mechanical Code – India (UMC-I) with the support of ISHRAE, FSAI, BAI and CIDA. We are aiming to release the code at ACREX next February and there after we shall commence training and skill development in this discipline.

We have taken a major step in testing, accreditation and certification for plumbing products, having signed an MoU with Intertek to jointly launch this venture — and clients are lining up.

The next major venture is formulation and creation of a Sector Skill Council (SSC) in plumbing under the gambit of the government of India, represented by National Skill Development Council (NSDC). IPA and IAPMO, having attended a series of meetings with NSDC, are in the process of making this proposal. We are hopeful it will fructify.

After having led a full force in wars, conflicts and insurgency operations, today I am motivating and leading a handful of persons for betterment of society. I did earn a favorable reputation in the earlier assignment. Who knows, if I shall succeed here, too? I have the will, and am willing to persevere with the team and the motives — competence, confidence, capability, convergence and comfort.

Who says 60 is an age to retire? For me, life has just begun. And whoever also said that a soldier cannot be a plumber?

Always dedicated for a good cause!

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Abdul Matheen - Director of IAPMO India, Mechanical

During the industrial revolution that has occurred over the last two centuries, humans have taken away more from our planet than the entire previous several thousand years of human existence. Homes and offices contribute more than 3-billion tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year. Global warming is an issue that is refusing to cool down.

A glimpse at a few global warming effects:

• Since 1880, the world has faced an average 1.4 degree Celsius rise in temperature.
• Sea level could rise between 150 and 550 mm by the end of this century and just 100 mm could drown large parts of southeast Asia. 
• Every day, 50 to 100 species of animal and plant become extinct. 
• More than a million species face extinction from disappearing habitats, changing ecosystems and acidifying oceans. 
• More than 500 million automobiles burning an average of 7 liters of fuel a day, with each liter releasing approximately 2.3 kg of carbon dioxide into air.

Do we need any more wakeup calls?

The current Indian context

Air conditioning consumes 25-30 percent of the world’s total energy and a major contribution can be made by this industry toward reducing global warming. The world today is talking about moving from green buildings to zero energy buildings or carbon neutral buildings. Even though India has set the tone for this second green revolution by the introduction of mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies for large projects by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), it is important to leverage the collective involvement of India’s one billion strong population and lead the world in addressing the issue of Global Warming.
 
India is witnessing tremendous growth in infrastructure development. The construction industry in India is one of the largest economic activities and has been growing at an annual rate 9.5 percent as compared to the global average of 5 percent.
 
This undoubtedly calls for increased use of natural resources such as energy, water and materials, which in turn would aggravate the global concern of carbon emissions and their impact on the quality of life. The construction sector therefore needs to pay a responsible role toward preservation of the environment.

• Built environment contributes up to 40 percent of global CO2 emissions, 30 percent of the global solid waste generation and 20 percent of global waste water.
• Built environment consumes 40 percent of the energy resources, 30 percent of raw materials and 20 percent of water resources.

Seeds of change

The green movement in India is set to gather momentum, with international best practices in green plumbing and mechanical engineering.

The sustainable building industry today has a powerful and revolutionary new tool at its disposal with IAPMO India’s forthcoming publication, the Uniform Mechanical Code-India (UMC-I), the most comprehensive document ever created in India to standardize sustainable residential and commercial mechanical systems. There is little information about how to design and install green systems appropriately and safely within existing building codes, hence IAPMO India was compelled to join forces with the Indian Society of Heating, Ventilation, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) and the Fire and Security Association of India (FSAI) to develop and introduce a document that shows exactly how it’s done, in a format that is customized to Indian standards and requirements.

The Uniform Mechanical Code-India addresses such areas as:

• Energy conservation in HVAC systems 
• Conservation of water and energy in pumping systems

Optimistic about ISHRAE and FSAI’s association with IAPMO India, Mr. Pankaj Shah and Mr. N S Narendra, national presidents of ISHRAE and FSAI respectively, said, “This association will strengthen and further our objective of promoting best practices in India through bringing in uniform code knowledge, which IAPMO brings in through its global exposure and capability.” Drawing on their years of experience from working on systems across the world, IAPMO members have contributed to the development of the Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), which will now be customized to India through technical support from ISHRAE.

Commenting on the significance of the association with ISHRAE, Megan Lehtonen, IAPMO director of International Business Development, said, “It gives us a great opportunity to be associated with ISHRAE, one among India’s most respected and best professional societies. The Uniform Mechanical Code-India that we are set to jointly develop will thus be an invaluable combination of our globally gathered expertise and the knowledge of India’s best and most seasoned HVAC professionals. Indeed a fruitful relationship, which would go a long way in furthering sharing of knowledge for creating better standards and professionals who would ultimately work for the benefit of the society.”

The mechanical standards that will be prescribed by IAPMO India will include and cover:

• Energy efficient heating, ventilation, cooling and refrigeration systems
• A dedicated Green Mechanical Code Supplement, focused on imparting systems with enhanced levels of energy efficiency and eco-sustainability 
• A mechanical code-based education system to educate mechanical professionals within India and the neighboring countries, to ensure seeding of the concept in the engineers of the future 
• A major breakthrough in the HVAC industry on which IAPMO India is working is to set up a “Test Center” — an incubation center for HVAC and mechanical professionals/technicians to test their professional ability under international standards
• Creating a Truly Sustainable Built Environment — How the Green Code Supplements Work

Optimum energy efficiency in Air Management systems:

UMC-I and Green Mechanical Code will focus on:

• Design of air conditioning systems in accordance with American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1-2001 
• Solar path analysis and solar orientation to maximize north and south exposure and minimize east and west exposure 
• Fenestration maximized on the north orientation to minimize heat gains from windows and also to maximize day lighting 
• North-oriented glazing maximized 
• Low U-value of glazing 
• Water-cooled scroll chillers 
• Efficient cooling towers 
• Measurement and verification plans to monitor energy and water savings
• Energy harvesting at site — utilization of solar, wind and bio-energy 
• CFC-free HVAC equipment 
• Energy-efficient equipment for air conditioning systems

In Conclusion

March 1, 2011, was the day IAPMO India launched its first Technical Committee Meeting — a great beginning!

IAPMO India joined hands with a galaxy of experts representing various Indian societies and organizations to work together to launch the 2012 Uniform Mechanical Code-India during an historic event held at the Richmond Hotel, Bangalore. This was followed by three more Technical Committee Meetings to review and revise various different chapters and topics for the UMC-I.

The 2012 UMC-I permits the use of environmentally friendly refrigerants and relies upon ASHRAE 62.1 for proper indoor air quality requirements. The changes in the Uniform Mechanical Code and Uniform Solar Energy Code will focus on achievable goals that reduce waste and conserve precious resources, while still enabling contractors to build affordable buildings with more efficient mechanical construction products and practices.

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Subhash Despande - Director of Training and Education, IAPMO India

The scarcity of water, increased cost of water and new regulations are fueling a drive toward an increased commitment to “reduce, reclaim, reuse and recharge.” Extra care is required to design, install and maintain reclaimed water systems to avoid cross connection and contamination that can cause health hazards. We’ve also seen an increase in general awareness that good plumbing ensures health and safety for both the building structure and the occupants. Today’s buildings are more complex, with high-rise structures, large and multi-level basements, post tension slabs, etc., thereby demanding careful designs and installations of plumbing using modern sanitary fittings, plumbing materials and systems.

With one stroke of a pen, the state and/or central government makes solar hot water systems mandatory for residential projects in the region. As per MoEF norms, reclaimed water is mandatory for flushing and landscaping in the large projects. Rainwater harvesting is mandatory in most Indian states. Cities known for horizontal spreads are now permitting high-rise buildings 30 meters and higher. Rating system for fixture flow rates will soon be launched by CSE under MoUD. TERI GRIHA rated or IGBC LEED rated “Green Buildings” will soon become a regulation in India.

It is estimated that about one million green jobs will be generated in India over the next two years. Green jobs, as defined by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), refer to work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development or administrative activities that contribute to preserving environmental quality and help in protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity. They will include organic farmers in villages, environmental engineers, ecologists with a huge demand for architects designing energy-efficient green buildings, or even plumbers installing reclaimed water systems.

On one hand, it is a welcome note toward sustainable buildings and plumbing therein. On the other hand, there is an acute shortage of formally trained plumbing professionals who can design, install and maintain the modern plumbing.

Need for Trained Manpower in India

While the future looks bright, the present looks dim and smeared. Consider the facts and figures below.

• The 2008 budget estimated that 130 million skilled people will be needed by 2015; of that, 30-32 percent with full schooling plus vocational training.
• Construction is the largest industry in India, next to agriculture. Employment in 2002 in the organized sector was 1,355,000 in agriculture and 1,090,000 in construction.
• Only 10-15 percent of jobs are executed by the organized sector employing consultants and contractors of repute and experience; people without the required knowledge, skill and experience do the remainder of the work.
• Even within the organized sector, there is a tremendous shortage of trained plumbers, plumbing supervisors and plumbing engineers.
• Plumbing is not taught in engineering or architectural colleges. Both design and supervisory group and the hands-on plumbers group learn through site experience, from colleagues, superiors, or family.
• About 58 percent of youth seeking employment do not have enough skills to offer productivity and workmanship. There are 1,800 Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in India training 720,000 students every year. Additionally, the private institutes train 1,000,000 students.
• Formally trained plumbers by ITI are inadequate to meet the demand of both quality and numbers. Its plumbing courses need updating and upgrading w.r.t. syllabus, facilities and faculty.
• Modern complex building structures and high-rise buildings need more care in the design and installation of plumbing systems. The modern plumbing materials, systems and technology demand more knowledge and skill. Plumbing is crucial, but neglected in India, resulting in a plumbing industry that lags behind high standards of plumbing adopted worldwide. 
• One reason for the neglect is a lack of government legislation, codes, standards, licensing practices and a complete lack of inspection of plumbing works by an Authority Having Jurisdiction.

Long-Term Planning

Given the present scenario, all stakeholders, including the industry, government, institutions, community groups and individuals, are geared up to accept the challenge and meet the demand of the future plumbing/building industry.

“India@75” is one such trailblazing initiative. It envisions how India should be in her 75th year of independence in the year 2022 and seeks to bring together all stakeholders to translate this vision into reality. Prof. C.K. Prahalad has been the inspiration behind India@75. Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) adopted his vision on May 8, 2008. (Visit India@75 Website at www.indiaat75.in.)

There is recognition that skill development needs to undergo radical change if India is to meet the target of creating more than 200 million graduates and 500 million certified and skilled technicians by 2022. Addressing such a large skill requirement in a short span of time necessitates the adoption of standardized processes, training and evaluation systems, as well as increasing use of technology for overcoming time and infrastructure barriers.

It is equally essential to reach out to a wide array of stakeholders, both on the demand side and supply side — employers, employees and training companies. Furthermore, the requirement for certification and gradation of skilled workers is necessary for development of a market that can understand and speak the same language across multiple states and regions.

IAPMO’S Contributions

IAPMO India

In 2007, IAPMO Plumbing Codes and Standards India Private Limited (IAPMO India) was established. It is an Indian corporation having offices at Bengaluru and Pune. IAPMO India is headed by Sree Kumar, director general, with myself, Subhash Deshpande, director Plumbing, and Abdul Matheen, director Mechanical. An IAPMO team comprised particularly of Megan Lehtonen, Sherard Jones, Dave Viola, Allen Inlow and Russ Chaney supports the IAPMO India team.

India Partners

Indian Plumbing Association (IPA), established in 1993, is the apex body of plumbing professionals in the country. IPA is IAPMO’s partner in India for developing the plumbing code and propagating it through code based plumbing education and training.

IPA has 12 chapters across the country, with membership exceeding 1,500. IPA's membership includes plumbing consultants, plumbing contractors, plumbing product manufacturers, traders, planners, education and vocational training institutions, architects and builders

Code Development

The Uniform Plumbing Code-India (UPC-I) was published by IAPMO jointly with IPA in February 2008. It is a model code for the design, installation and maintenance of plumbing systems in India. The UPC-I is a comprehensive code addressing modern plumbing fixtures, materials, techniques and methods. The Green Plumbing Code Supplement-India (GPCS-I) was published in February 2010.

Rapid development of the Indian construction industry over the last decade required the plumbing industry to keep pace with modern plumbing technology. To incorporate and implement the latest technology and systems for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs, and to bring uniformity to its installation throughout the country, IPA has ventured into the preparation of the Uniform Swimming Pool Code-India (USPC-I), to be applicable all over the country. The 2011 USPC-I has kept all basic principles of the original IAPMO code intact, but has been edited to suit the Indian laws, conditions and accepted good engineering practices. The USPC-I is designed to provide a lucid, comprehensive technical reference to the citizens of India for good practices and at the same time allowing latitude for innovation and introduction of new technology. The use of this document is intended to provide safe and functional swimming pools, spas and hot tubs with minimum regulations.

The UPC-I, like the UPC, is a dynamic document that will be revised every three years based on the new plumbing materials, systems, practices and local laws. The Technical Committee of IPA is reviewing the 2008 UPC-I in coordination with IAPMO and the 2011 UPC-I will be published during the mid-year seminar at New Delhi in November 2011.

2011 WEP-I

This publication for Water Efficient Products- India (WEP-I) is the result of the joint effort of the IPA and IAPMO-India. WEP-I is a Rating System for Sustainable Plumbing in India.

The increasing need for defining water efficient products in India prompted IPA’s Technical Committee (TC) to develop such a document in collaboration with IAPMO-India. Prior to this, no rating system for water efficient products existed in India.

The 2011 Water Efficient Products-India (WEP-I) is a set of recommendations to all those who are involved in the design, engineering, manufacturing, selection, installation and maintenance of water efficient plumbing products for domestic and commercial applications in India. The use of WEP-I is intended to encourage use of water efficient products, to incorporate and implement the latest technology and systems and provide uniformity in the performance of products. 2011 WEP-I was published in July 2011.

Education and Training

Unfortunately, until recently plumbing was not taught in engineering or architectural courses. There are no formal courses in plumbing. As a result, there is a great shortage of trained plumbing supervisors and plumbing engineers.

To fill this gap, IPA along with its education arm, Indian Institute of Plumbing (IIP), and IAPMO India joined forces to provide plumbing education and training throughout India. The goal of the IPA-IIP-IAPMO-I Plumbing Education to Employment Program (PEEP) is to prepare the multiple levels of professional groups in India to read, understand, interpret, engage and apply the provisions of India’s Uniform Plumbing Code to initial installations and continued maintenance of plumbing systems.

The goals of PEEP will be reached through joint venture and collaboration with established and reputed educational institutions throughout India. The program seeks to partner with Indian universities, colleges and vocational institutions that can provide quality instruction toward our stated goals.

The program serves two audience groups; the first comprised of engineering students and graduate engineers, the second group includes contractors, construction managers, supervisors, architects and interior designers. Through the Plumbing System Design (PSD) Program, an individual will gain an understanding of the basic and advanced principles and code requirements of typical plumbing systems and the ability to design and review plumbing systems. Through the Plumbing Construction Management (PCM) Program, an individual will gain an understanding of the basic principles and code requirements of typical plumbing systems and the ability to review plumbing systems, coordinate and supervise the work at construction sites from early start to final stop.

Both these courses are successfully running in many reputed engineering and architectural colleges, polytechnics, institutions, developers, builders and large government departments across India.

Plumbing Technology Program

IPA–IAPMO India’s Plumbing Technology Program (PTP) is a comprehensive two-year part-time program designed to provide individuals with the skills necessary to apply a broad range of plumbing principles. Through this course of study, an individual will learn how to install, repair and maintain a variety of piping systems, plumbing fixtures and other equipment generally associated with water distribution and waste water disposal; and learn the basic principles and code requirements of typical plumbing systems.

The program is most suitable for practicing plumbers wishing to upgrade their knowledge and skills by attending part-time training while they continue their earnings. It is also suitable for aspiring plumbers who want to join the industry’s mainstream. Vocational training institutions, industrial training institutes, polytechnics and NGOs offer the program.

Trained Apprentice Plumber (TAP)

TAP is a course in plumbing technology for aspiring plumbers, students who have passed the 10th standard school exam and also for practicing plumbers with a minimum qualification of the 10th standard pass. The course establishes the competency to install and repair plumbing systems, under supervision.

Trained Master Plumber (TMP)

Admission to this course is open to those who possess a TAP certificate. This course establishes the competency to undertake the installation of plumbing systems.

Through the teaching scheme, the student handles many types of pipes and fixtures, learns more than 150 task competencies, understands code adherence, learns to read plumbing drawings, follows safety rules and site manners.

Certified Plumbing Assistant (CPA)

This is a foundation course in plumbing for aspiring assistant plumbers and the students who have passed the 7th standard. The Plumbing Apprentice Program (PAP) is a short-term, three months full-time program in plumbing to provide individuals with basic plumbing skills. They will be capable to work as a Plumbing Assistant, under supervision.

‘Introduction to UPC-I’ Seminars

This one-day seminar introducing the UPC-I is a joint initiative of IAPMO India and IPA. The seminars are conducted at many IPA chapters. Participants are introduced to the code, its structure and the fundamental provisions. This training is particularly useful for those who cannot spare time for self-study. So far, the seminars are held at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Consultants, contractors, manufacturers and even plumbers comprise the delegates, all of whom leave the workshops confident in referring to the UPC-I for their future plumbing designs and installations.

Green Plumbers India

This year, IAPMO India and IPA announced collaboration for the Green Plumbers India (GPI) program. GPI is an innovative national training and accreditation program designed to assist Indian plumbing contractors/engineers in understanding their role in environmental conservation and public health. After Australia and the United States, India is the third country in the world to have established a Green Plumbers program.

IPA provides active support to Green Plumbers India to ensure the success of this innovative program. As part of the initiative, IPA-IAPMO India have trained about 30 Green Plumbers Accredited Trainers (GPATs) from across India. The GPATsn in association with IAPMO India and IPAn are trained to conduct GPI workshops at every chapter of IPA, under my supervision as IAPMO India’s head trainer.

Green Plumbers India will train and deploy a green army of plumbing engineers, contractors, manufacturers and wwners to promote the benefits of water conservation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately seeking a cultural change in consumer and plumbing behavior through the use of energy efficiency and water saving technologies.

The revised Green Plumbers India program represents a three-day workshop, generally conducted on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. At the conclusion of the workshop, the delegates receive a certificate as Green Plumbers India Accredited Specialist (GPIAS) and a wallet card.

All individuals, students, professionals, plumbers, engineers having a passion toward the environment and a willingness to contribute to sustainable development through Green Plumbing can attend this workshop. It develops the ability to advise your customers on cost reductions owing to water and energy conservation while saving planet Earth.

GPI workshops have so far been held at Bengaluru, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Kochi. More workshops are being planned in the near future.

Summary of Education and Training

IAPMO India’s Education Department, mainly operating from the Pune office, has remained busy developing the syllabus, preparing course materials, training the trainers, examinations, certification and overall monitoring of the training and education courses. Meanwhile, IAPMO’s India partner IPA supported IAPMO and the training institutions in developing the syllabus, organizing site visits and job placements for the successful candidates. The formal training in plumbing has changed the lives of hundreds of plumbing professionals so far.

To date, around 160 trainers have attended the training under PEEP; 45 engineers completed the PSD course, while 15 completed the PCM course. About 400 students have successfully completed the training under PTP-PAP. IPA-IAPMO trained about 30 GPATs, who in turn have trained 130 GPIAS.

The education and training courses are gaining popularity. Looking at the success of formal training, more and more education and training institutions are coming forward. Conversely, looking at the improved career prospects of the successful candidates, more and more students and professionals are enrolling in these courses. The day is not far off when India will have an adequate number of formally trained plumbing professionals to protect the health of the nation!

Indian Plumbing Today

IPA publishes its monthly periodical, Indian Plumbing Today (IPT), the only Indian magazine dedicated to plumbing. I have been contributing a column on PEEP every month. It features the happenings in code development, awareness programs and education, and training events all over India. IPT also carries a regular column by Lynne Simnick and now by Dave Viola on “2008 UPC-I: Technical Points of View.”

Builders Association of India

Builders Association of India (BAI) is a premier association of construction professionals. BAI was formed in 1941 in Pune with guidance from Brigadier Jackson. During the 68 years since its inception, BAI has grown in leaps and bounds and at present has more than 110 centers spread over the length and breadth of the country, with its headquarters at Mumbai. BAI membership exceeds 10,000.

A Memorandum of Understanding between IAPMO India, IPA and BAI was signed in October 2010 at Mumbai to propagate the UPC-I and code based plumbing designs and installations from the vast platform of BAI throughout India.

BAI by virtue of its size is the only true spokesman for the construction industry. BAI is also involved in providing training and education to labor, managers, contractors, engineers and postgraduates.

BAI with cooperation from IAPMO India and IPA will:

• Promote the UPC-I and its sale through BAI, BAI centers, BAI members and its member organizations.
• Advocate adopting the UPC-I voluntarily in all of its jurisdictions as far as possible.
• Encourage the use of UPC-I standards in all works undertaken by BAI members.
• Promote PEEP to education/training institutions and construction organizations. 

IAPMO-I and IIEC-I

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by IAPMO India and the International Institute for Energy Conservation – India (IIEC-India) at Pune in August 2010.

IIEC-India is a subsidiary of IIEC, a reputed international non-governmental and not-for-profit organization with a mission to work through its offices in developing countries to accelerate the global adoption of energy efficiency and conservation, climate friendly transportation and environmental policies, and modern technologies and practices to enable economic and environmentally sustainable development.

IIEC-India leverages international experience in the development of standards and labeling for energy efficient products, such as appliances and equipment, and for the built environment, including public, commercial, industrial and residential buildings. IIEC-India has launched several energy efficiency and conservation programs in India. 

Recognizing the synergies in the simultaneous promotion of green plumbing practices and energy efficiency and conservation, IAPMO-India and IIEC-India have signed the MoU to work together to promote energy and water efficiency and conservation through plumbing and pumping system improvements through pilot demonstration projects, policy interventions, regulatory mechanisms, financing mechanisms, public awareness and capacity building programs.

Megan Lehtonen, IAPMO director of International Business Development, and Dr. Nitin Pandit, IIEC president, along with Ira Athale Prem, IIEC India project manager, and I signed the MoU.

Center for Science and Environment

The Center for Science and Environment (CSE) has been designated as a Center of Excellence by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) and has been requested to develop a rating system  for water efficient fixtures, which would then be taken up for implementation across the country.

CSE is a public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi. For more than three decades, CSE has worked tirelessly toward raising concerns, promoting participation, initiating positive changes in policy and practice in the field of environmental preservation, especially water management, pollution reduction and climate change amongst others. CSE publishes a fortnightly magazine,  “Down to Earth,” that reports on a range of environmental issues and initiatives across India.

To develop and integrate these concepts further, CSE is working on a report (to be published in the coming months) to understand the technology (difference between standard and water saving) to run water closets, cisterns, faucets and urinals. In addition, CSE would like to understand the current technologies (cisterns/commodes, faucets, urinals), their advantages and barriers with respect to performance, efficiency, disposal, sewerage system, etc.

One of the easiest and least-intrusive ways to reduce facilities’ water use is to replace existing fixtures and appliances with those that conserve water. Water-conserving water closets, urinals, low-flow showerheads and faucets can have a significant impact on water use. Many facilities that installed such appliances and fixtures have reduced their water use by up to 30 percent.

In response to CSE’s invitation, IAPMO India and IPA, with their expertise and experience in the field of plumbing, are working together to assist CSE in developing a rating system for water efficient plumbing fixtures for India.

The Energy and Resources Institute

Under a separate MoU, IAPMO India, IPA and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) are working together to develop a rating system for Green Townships.

TERI is a dynamic and flexible organization, founded in 1974 with a focus on research activities in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development. It has firm conviction that efficient utilization of energy, sustainable use of natural resources, large scale adoption of renewable energy technologies, and reduction of all forms of waste would move the process of development toward the goal of sustainability.

TERI has introduced Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), a rating system to adjudicate the “greenness” of buildings, which has now been adopted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, as a national rating system; and IAPMO India and IPA together will join TERI to establish the “guidelines and benchmarks for large green developments such as townships and SEZs.”

In Conclusion

It is a known fact that good plumbing ensures good health. It is also known that codes protect the professionals, reduce costs and ensure social wellbeing. Everyone knows that water is scarce and must be saved and/or reclaimed. Then why is there reluctance to implementation?

There are two ways to enforce it. One: Introduce new laws, legislation, regulations, mandates, incentives and enforcement mechanisms. Only the government departments, ministries, municipal councils and institutions are authorized to introduce them. Two: Provide codes and standards of international repute for voluntary adoption, facilitate education and training based on the codes and create overall awareness of the necessity of good plumbing. This is exactly what the IPA-IAPMO India joint venture has done in India and will continue doing!