From 17 to 20 March 2026, Messe Essen will once again become the central meeting point for the sanitary, heating, air-conditioning and electrics sectors. SHK+E ESSEN 2026 will bring together skilled trades, industry, planners and architects, as well as young professionals – offering a highly relevant supporting programme and practical expert forums. Visitors can already look forward to four intensive days focused on key future topics such as the energy transition, building modernisation, digitalisation and securing skilled labour.
Please note: all forums and supporting programme sessions will be held in German only.
A central highlight of the supporting programme is the Forum Future of Building Technology in Hall 2, which will address current developments and challenges in the heating sector throughout the entire trade fair. The forum is organised in terms of content by the German Heating Industry Association (BDH) and the SHK Association of North Rhine-Westphalia (Fachverband SHK NRW), which also serves as the ideal sponsor of SHK+E ESSEN.
Key topics include:
· market developments and political framework conditions in the heating sector
· heat pumps and hybrid heating systems as key technologies for sustainable heat supply
· renewable energies such as biomass
· digital planning and construction processes, including BIM
· the role of combined heat and power (CHP) as an essential building block for a stable and resilient energy system
The forum offers compact presentations and discussions for professionals from the trades, planning and industry. A complete and up-to-date overview of all programme items is available at www.shke-essen.de.
Focus Day “Women in the Trades”: Spotlight on Success Stories
A special highlight at SHK+E ESSEN 2026 will take place on 19 March, with the new focus day “Women in the Trades”, hosted in the AZUBI Lounge in Hall 2. The day will centre on inspiring success stories from women working in the SHK sector. Several times a day between 09:30 and 14:00, the interactive “SHK Question Shower” will take place on stage. During this format, plumbing and heating technicians at different career stages answer short and humorous questions from visiting school classes about their professional journeys and everyday working life. With this initiative, Fachverband SHK NRW aims to send a clear message: outdated clichés such as “What would a woman want on a construction site?” no longer apply. Women have excellent career prospects in technical skilled trades – for example as plant mechanics for sanitary, heating and air-conditioning technology.
Installer Day on 18 March: Practical Knowledge for Professionals
With the Installer Day – Toolbox for Practitioners, Fachverband SHK NRW will offer a compact, free short training session for installers on 18 March 2026, starting at 10:00. Within two hours, participants will receive practical updates on:
· heat pump technology
· drinking water installation
· gas and wastewater systems
· smart tools and everyday helpers for professional practice
The event is aimed at experienced service technicians as well as motivated apprentices. It is manufacturer-neutral, solution-oriented and includes a certificate of participation – trade fair admission is included.
Registration for Installer Day is possible via the Fachverband SHK NRW website (www.shk-nrw.de). The registration deadline is 10 March 2026.
In addition, guided tours of the exhibition will take place in the mornings, focusing on innovations in heating and sanitary technology. On Tuesday afternoon, tours will specifically address artificial intelligence, while Wednesday and Thursday afternoons will focus exclusively on installation optimisation. The tours will be led by SHK companies and board members of Fachverband SHK NRW. The meeting point is booth 2B03 in Hall 2. Further information will be available soon at www.shke-essen.de.
Plan your visit to the trade fair!
