| 3 Levels Whole Home Comfort | 11 Zones Smart Temperature Control | 12 Solar Panels |
Project Overview
Ducted heat pump NZ installations work best when they are part of a bigger picture – and this three storey Remuera home is exactly that. Future Energy delivered a complete whole home energy solution: two Panasonic ducted systems heating and cooling every level, an AirTouch5 smart zone controller managing 11 individual temperature zones, a 12 panel LONGi solar system generating clean electricity from the roof, and a Wallbox EV charger for the car in the driveway. Every system works together. The solar powers the heat pump during the day. The heat pump keeps every room warm. The EV charges from the sun. This is what a future ready home looks like.
Why Warm Homes Matter
New Zealand homes have a cold problem. Research from the University of Otago and BRANZ found that nearly half of Kiwi households report their home is sometimes colder than they would like, and that bedrooms particularly go unheated through winter. The health consequences of this are real: cold air inflames airways, damp conditions encourage mould, and children and older people in cold homes face higher rates of respiratory illness and winter hospitalisation. The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum indoor temperature of 18 degrees for a healthy home – and many New Zealand bedrooms are falling well short of that, especially overnight.
For a three storey Remuera home, the challenge is even more pronounced. Heat rises, different levels have different exposures, and a single room heat pump cannot reach every corner of a large multi level home. A whole home ducted heat pump NZ system was the right answer – and pairing it with solar made the running costs manageable from day one.
The Solution
Two Panasonic Ducted Systems – Top Level and Lower Level
Future Energy designed the HVAC solution as two separate but integrated systems, each sized for its zone of the home. The top level system handles the kitchen, dining and studio areas – the social heart of the home – delivering whole floor heating and cooling through a carefully positioned array of custom linear bar grilles that blend seamlessly with the architecture. The lower level system covers the music room, ground floor entry and living areas, with floor boot outlets bringing conditioned air to rooms where ceiling ducting is not practical. Both systems include custom plenum filtration, ensuring the air circulating through the home is clean as well as comfortable.
AirTouch5 Smart Zone Control – 11 Zones, One Interface
Connecting both ducted systems is an AirTouch5 smart zone control platform with 11 wireless intelligent temperature sensors, one in each zone across the home. The AirTouch5 main screen gives the homeowner a single point of control, with individual room temperatures set and maintained automatically through motorised dampers in each duct run. Rather than conditioning empty rooms or overcooling spaces that are already comfortable, the system manages airflow room by room – reducing energy use and keeping every space at the right temperature. It can also be controlled from a phone, so the home can be warm by the time the family arrives. This is how a large ducted heat pump NZ installation is made genuinely efficient to run.
12 x LONGi Mono Black Solar Panels – Clean Power from the Roof
The 12 panel LONGi Mono Black solar system provides clean, renewable electricity generation and long term power savings. Running the ducted heat pump NZ system during peak solar generation hours significantly reduces the effective cost of whole home heating and cooling. The LONGi panels are a high efficiency monocrystalline module in an all black format that integrates cleanly with the roofline – a practical and discreet addition to the home’s energy setup.
Wallbox Pulsar Max EV Charger – Solar to the Car
The Wallbox Pulsar Max completes the home’s energy system, providing fast and convenient home charging for the family’s electric vehicle. With the solar system generating electricity during the day, EV charging can be scheduled to run on solar power, extending the household energy savings beyond the home and into every kilometre driven. Together, the solar and EV charger make this a home that runs on its own terms.
What the Homeowner Gets
- Every room on every level consistently warm and comfortable through winter – no cold bedrooms, no unheated floors
- Two Panasonic ducted systems covering the full three storey home with concealed ductwork and 20 custom linear bar grilles
- 11 individual temperature zones managed automatically by the AirTouch5 system – each room only heated or cooled when needed
- Solar electricity from 12 LONGi panels reducing the cost of running the heat pump during the day
- EV charging from solar power – the sun charges the car as well as the home
- A single energy ecosystem designed by one team and backed by Future Energy’s 10 year installation warranty
- A home that is warmer, healthier, and cheaper to run – built around the way the family actually lives
Frequently Asked Questions
How does solar reduce the cost of running a ducted heat pump NZ system?
A ducted heat pump runs on electricity, and solar generates electricity from the roof during the day. By scheduling the heat pump to warm the home during peak solar generation hours, the household is effectively using free electricity to heat its spaces rather than drawing from the grid at retail rates. In a well insulated home, warming the house during the day and closing doors and curtains to hold the heat into the evening is one of the most effective ways to reduce winter heating costs, particularly with a whole home ducted system running across multiple levels.
Why is a ducted system better than individual wall units for a multi-level home?
Individual wall units heat the room they are in, and that is all. For a three storey home, that means either multiple units in every room or cold spaces on every level that does not have one. Research on cold homes in New Zealand is clear that rooms without heating go unheated – and the health consequences of that fall disproportionately on children and older people. A ducted heat pump NZ system delivers to every room through concealed ductwork, with no wall units visible and no rooms left out. The AirTouch5 zone control then ensures each room is only conditioned when occupied, keeping running costs in check across the whole home.
Can the AirTouch5 system be controlled remotely?
Yes. The AirTouch5 platform includes a smartphone app that gives the homeowner full control of both ducted systems from anywhere. Room temperatures can be set individually, zones can be turned on or off, and schedules can be created so the home is warm by the time the family arrives. The wireless intelligent temperature sensors in each zone report actual room temperatures back to the system, meaning the AirTouch5 is always working from real data rather than a timer based guess. This is the difference between a smart zone system and a basic on off controller.
Is this kind of whole home installation suitable for existing homes?
Yes. This Remuera home was an existing three storey property, not a new build. Future Energy designed the dual ducted system, solar and EV charging installation to work with the existing structure, managing ductwork routing, inverter placement, panel positioning and EV charger installation as a coordinated programme. A thorough site assessment before work begins confirms what is possible and ensures the system is designed to perform from day one. If you are in an existing home and wondering what a full energy upgrade could look like, a conversation with Future Energy is the right starting point.
Thinking about whole home heating, cooling and solar? Future Energy designs and installs complete home energy solutions across New Zealand – ducted heat pumps, solar, batteries and EV charging, all working together. Talk to us about what your home could look like.
Get in touch with our team to explore your options.
