PERSONALITY PROFILE
43
Heat pumps are a life,
not a job
By Eamonn Ryan
Jamie Pitzner, founder in 2019 of Air and Water Works, and
previously technical director at a large air conditioning firm, has
been involved in the solar hot water and heat pump industries
virtually since their outset in South Africa.
“When I left high school (13 years ago) I was
approached by my grandfather, Tony Wonfor,
who offered me the opportunity to start an
apprenticeship at a company he was starting,
installing solar systems and solar panels,” says
Pitzner, meaning he has been in the solar heating
industry virtually from its outset in South Africa.
“When interest in heat pumps started evolving, Tony
Wonfor decided to start bringing heat pumps into the
country. This stirred my interest: I went on a training
course for the installation of heat pumps and that
interest began to develop further over the next two
years. When my employer at that time closed down, I
was fortunate to be approached by Grant Spires. He
said, ‘You have got the plumbing knowledge and I have
got the heat pump knowledge; why don’t we teach each
other and move forward into heat pumps?’ We then
teamed up and did numerous projects for five and a half
years,” says Pitzner.
His responsibility extended to importing and installing
heat pumps, dealing with customer complaints, and
doing inspections. “I was fortunate at this point to
be sent on a refrigeration course which gave me an
in-depth and holistic understanding of heat pumps
including the gas and refrigeration side of it, and
which in turn makes heat pumps a lot easier to work
on. I could satisfy the plumbing side as well as the
refrigeration side.”
At this point Pitzner decided to spread his wings, first of
all partnering with a businessman to install heat pumps
and finally going entirely on his own just four months
ago into Air and Water Works. The origin of the name
February 2020 Volume 25 I Number 12
“At the same time, I studied at a plumbing college
called Watersmith Training Centre in Centurion,
Gauteng, doing its solar course and one or two of its
plumbing courses, en route to becoming a licensed
plumber.” He then worked for Solar Tech for a two- to
three-year period just prior to heat pump technology
being introduced into South Africa.
Jamie Pitzner, founder of Air and Water Works.
is to reflect the fact that the business deals with all water-
related jobs that a plumber can perform as well as all the
air jobs in air conditioning and refrigeration.
Inspirations and lessons
“What inspired me to follow this line is the desire for a
better understanding of energy.” This consuming drive for
knowledge – and the fact he’s been assisted at regular
intervals in his career by others, has given Pitzner the urge
to pass that knowledge on to others through mentorship.
“If anyone shows me any interest in what I do or in being
mentored, I take great pride in being able to teach them.
I am very keen on that – it is one of my passions.” The
downside, he says, is that relatively few people are open to
being mentored. For too many people, plumbing is ‘just a
job’ – but there are few people willing to dedicate enough
time to learn about heat pumps.
www.plumbingafrica.co.za