Known as the largest event for plumbing system design professionals, the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) 2018 Convention & Expo will be held in Atlanta from Sept. 28 – Oct. 3. Registration for the event is available at expo.aspe.org.

This is the only event designed to enhance the professional development, technical education, and career growth of plumbing engineering professionals. Those who attend will discover game-changing innovations, profitable solutions, and new ideas to maintain their competitive edge.

In addition to the professional development sessions, attendees will be treated to the largest plumbing product tradeshow in the country with more than 300 exhibiting manufacturers and suppliers. 

“This year,” says ASPE Executive Director and CEO, Billy Smith, FASPE, “we are also providing our attendees an Innovation Showcase and an Innovation Theater. The Innovation Showcase allows for spotlighting the latest innovations in product development, and the Innovation Theater, which will be located in the ASPE Pavilion, will allow for 15-minute presentations by our exhibitors to educate attendees on new technologies and product innovations.

Beginning with inspiration

The show will kick-off on Oct. 1 at 8 a.m. with the ASPE Breakfast Award Ceremony followed by the Keynote Address by Derreck Kayongo, Global Soap Project founder and former CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Kayongo founded an organization which recycles used hotel soap and redistributes it to impoverished populations around the world. In creating this global humanitarian initiative, he demonstrated that a simple, yet novel idea has the power to transform the lives of millions.

From Ugandan refugee to successful entrepreneur and renowned human rights activist, Kayongo inspires audiences to dream big as he shares his vision for harnessing the power of observation to identify issues and solve challenges in any community or organization.

“I was attending another industry event a few years ago and Derreck was the keynote for that event,” Smith says. “I was simply blown away by his family history, what they dealt with, where those trials took him and ultimately where he landed. I felt this could connect so well with ASPE’s mission statement and would also allow for our members to get involved. ASPE could focus on giving back through what we do, who we are and future partnership development. What a powerful message Derreck has and the opportunity for ASPE to be a vehicle for continuing the growth of sustainable life change.”

This is the first Convention & Expo where there will be an Award & Keynote Breakfast rather than having a banquet at the end. “We feel this is going to really be an improved feature giving additional time for our attendees to participate in other events both on location, or at other locales,” Smith says.

Moving on to education

The 2018 ASPE Convention & Expo will feature 25 technical education sessions, covering five tracks including: System Design; Construction Design; Equipment Exploration; Design, Selection & Beyond; and Latest Trends. Each session will offer 0.125 CEUs that can be used for license or certification continuing education requirements.

The ASPE Education Committee spends a tremendous amount of time taking submissions from industry experts that want to present at each of the annual events — Convention & Expo and the Technical Symposium. “This is an ongoing development process to ensure we are providing the most recent technical and educational topics, most important across our industry,” Smith says. “The committee does a great job in developing our tracks and the applicable topics.” 

All sessions will be taught by experts currently working in the field of plumbing engineering and are designed to help plumbing industry professionals at all career levels learn new skills or refresh their design repertoire.

In addition to the slated educational sessions, qualifying attendees can sign-up for a special two-day workshop that takes place even before the show begins. The Green Plumbing Design Workshop, held on Sept. 27-28, has been designed for those who are interested in gaining knowledge in performing green plumbing design work, to design systems that conserve and protect water supplies and reduce energy consumption in the delivery and use of water. 

At the end of the workshop, a 50-question exam will test your knowledge of the information that was presented. Successfully passing the exam will provide you with the honor of the GPD designation.

Making time for special events

There will be a number of special events held before and during the show. New this year, the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) will co-locate its 2018 Conference with the 2018 ASPE Convention & Expo from Sept. 29-30. A Rainwater Harvesting Pavilion will be featured on the show floor and ARCSA will also host workshops during the event. Those who register for the ARCSA Conference will also receive entrance to the Expo (Oct. 1-2), with the opportunity to register a la carte for specific ASPE events.

Other special events include:

Women of ASPE Leadership Forum

Sponsored by Delta, The Women of ASPE (WOA) Leadership Forum is happening on Friday, Sept. 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This exclusive event will bring together women in the field of plumbing design where you will have the opportunity to network with your peers, learn about leadership development and how to apply it toward your professional growth. You will be able to earn 0.4 CEUs in addition to the valuable knowledge and tools you can take back to your office. 

The forum will include a networking breakfast, lunch and closing ceremony. Speakers and presenters for the forum include keynote speaker Jason Gonzalez of Delta Faucet; Cyndi Wentland who will talk about fostering generational diversity; Judaline Cassidy who will talk about mentorship as access to success; Paul Lorentz who will talk about a man doing a woman’s work in a man’s world; Candy Barone who will discuss strategies to destroy the noise in business; and Sarah Balz, chair of Women of ASPE. The deadline to register is Aug. 28.

Pre-Convention Golf Outing

Join the ASPE Atlanta Chapter for a day of fun and networking at Stone Mountain Golf Club on Sept. 29 (Shotgun start at 8 a.m.). Register at aspe-atl.com no later than Sept. 15. If you have any questions, please contact Jeffrey Long at jeffrey.long@ferguson.com.

Women of ASPE Care for a Cause

The Women of ASPE (WOA) will be joining forces with the Girl Scouts of Atlanta on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. During this 1/2-day event, WOA is inviting ASPE members to participate in this volunteer opportunity and help introduce and inspire young girls to embrace and celebrate the world of STEM. The event is limited to 35 volunteers. The deadline to register is Aug. 28.

ASPE Sunday Night Party at the Tabernacle Atlanta

Sponsored by Rheem, this event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 30 from 7 to 11 p.m. Attendees are invited to start the show off with an exciting night of networking, music and festivities at the Tabernacle Atlanta. Entrance is complimentary for convention and exhibitor registrants with badges. Expo only attendees may pre-purchase tickets. Tickets will not be sold onsite. 

ASPE First-Time Attendee Reception
Sponsored by Watts, this event will take place on Monday, Oct. 1 from 5 to 6 p.m. If this is your first ASPE Convention & Expo, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss. The event is limited to the first 100 who RSVP and for the first time, this will be done on the exhibit show floor. 

ASPE Member Loyalty Breakfast

In honor of ASPE members who have been part of the Society for 25 years or more, a member loyalty breakfast will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 7 to 8:15 a.m. Staff will assign a ticket to the first 100 qualifying members who register for the Convention & Expo.

Spouse/Guest Brunch Social

Join other spouses/guests of ASPE 2018 on Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel. This fun networking event is a great way to make new friends and get reacquainted with old friends of ASPE. You will also be able to pick up your convention gift, compliments of the ASPE Atlanta Chapter.

ASPE Young Professionals Networking Event at Top Golf Midtown

Sponsored by Zurn, this event will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. If you are a young professional, be sure to attend this event where you can wind down and connect with your peers. This will be one of many opportunities to network, share ideas, and connect with old and new friends. Enjoy food, beverages, and a little friendly competition of golf, pool, and video games. 

Certification Appreciation Breakfast

On Wednesday, Oct. 3 from 7 to 8:15 a.m., this exclusive breakfast will be held for those holding the CPD or CPDT designation. The event is limited to the first 100 who RSVP.

Products, products, and products

The Expo component of the event (Oct. 1-2) is free and offers a one-of-a-kind showcase of the largest display of plumbing design products and services available anywhere. Not just static displays, but truly an educational experience with manufacturing engineers on site to answer your technical questions about products. Plus, earn continuing education just for walking the show floor!

Meet with more than 300 exhibiting manufacturers and suppliers; experience non-stop networking with more than 4,000 industry professionals from around the world; participate in prize drawings on the show floor; and make it a point to stop by the complimentary education sessions in the Innovation Theater on the show floor.

For more than 50 years, the ASPE Convention & Expo has been the only event for highly qualified professionals involved in every facet of plumbing engineering and design, to see the latest innovations in plumbing system design. This year will be no exception to that expectation.

Please be sure to check expo.aspe.org for the most up-to-date information about the Convention & Expo, as well as the special events.