[veb]

I'd say in New Zealand we definitely have them figured out. Every rental needs a heat-pump if there's no fireplace. Landlords will prefer the heat-pumps primarily because it's less maintenance. Apparently 25% of all households in NZ have one: https://www.genesisenergy.co.nz/tips-and-tricks/articles/use...) you may also be interested in: https://figure.nz/chart/HkvN4YjwyylwL2A4

Ours are exactly the same sort of units that I saw in Singapore - they're A/C systems, but can do cold or hot. I remember when I saw the 'heat-pumps' in Singapore, I was like "Wow, why does everyone have a heat-pump" and everyone looked at me and went "What's a heat-pump?" as they always called them A/C units - doubt they ever got above 16 degrees or something.

[socks]

You just helped me realise (as an Aussie living in Europe) that when some people are saying "air-to-air heat pump" what they mean is what an Aussie or Kiwi would call "reverse cycle air conditioner" - which are extremely common and affordable. The heat pumps I have seen personally in Europe are geothermal, very big, and very expensive.

[bkor]

> The heat pumps I have seen personally in Europe are geothermal, very big, and very expensive.

In NL I saw loads of water/water heat pumps (so using geothermal) in plans for new buildings. The latest plans now seem to prefer air/water. The air/water is cheaper and the units nowadays are much quieter than they used to be. This is just my observations, I could be way off.

[ianleighton]

I think your reverse cycle ac would be an air-to-air heat pump. Air-to-water is more like your heat pump water heater, with the hot water then going through radiators.

[avastmick]

Aligns with our experience in China for the four years before the pandemic. Apart from a couple of apartments we visited in Harbin that had gas boiler radiators, everwhere else we found apartments heated and cooled by heat pumps. It makes total sense in countries that have hot summers and cold winters.