Can one reverse-cycle air conditioner meet both rental heating and cooling standards?

For a fixed, non-ducted wall or floor unit, check the GEMS heating rating is 2 stars or more and the cooling rating is 3 stars or more. For a ducted reverse-cycle system, the figures are a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor of 3.2 or more and a Total Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor of 3.8 or more. The ratings are for the property's climate area, and Melbourne reads the Cold zone on the Zoned Energy Rating Label.

The label shows a 1 to 10 star rating for cooling in blue and heating in red, for each zone. Check the actual model's Cold-zone figures rather than a brochure's headline rating.

The standards ask for an outlet in the main living area, and one well-placed split in an open living room usually does it. If the living area is split across two rooms, or a large open-plan space wraps around a corner, one unit may meet the rule on paper but leave half the space cold in July or warm on a hot northerly afternoon. Size it for heating first, since Victorians usually use more energy for heating than cooling, then check it handles summer.

From 1 March 2027 the heating standard applies when a fixed heater fails and can't be repaired, while the cooling standard applies at the start of a new agreement and, from 1 July 2030, to all rentals. One reverse-cycle unit installed ahead of those dates can cover both. Check the switchboard first, as a new unit usually needs its own circuit. Under the cooling standard, the cost of electrical work and switchboard upgrades doesn't count when judging whether installation costs are unreasonable.