A/02 · Ducted refrigerated air conditioning · Melbourne
Whole-of-home cooling and heating, beautifully concealed.
Premium ducted refrigerated air conditioning supplied and installed across Melbourne — from the Mornington Peninsula through bayside to the north-east. Whole-of-home comfort, zoned and beautifully finished.
Daikin · Mitsubishi · MHI · Fujitsu · Samsung5-year warrantyArchitect-led installs
Project — Mount Eliza, 2025
Whole-of-home ducted refrigerated install with AirTouch 5 zoning. Concealed indoor fan coil in the plant room, linear slot diffusers through the living spaces.
Ducted refrigerated, in short
One system, every room — quiet, concealed, zoned.
- →Indoor fan coil · roof cavity or dedicated plant room
- →Outdoor condenser · positioned for airflow and acoustics
- →Wall controller · zoned app and touchscreen
What is ducted refrigerated air conditioning?
One indoor unit, one outdoor unit, every room of your home.
Ducted refrigerated air conditioning delivers cooling and heating to every room of your home through a network of insulated ducts concealed in the ceiling cavity, with discreet vents (or “outlets”) in each space. A single indoor fan coil and outdoor condenser run the whole system, controlled by a wall-mounted touchscreen or app.
The advantage over individual split systems is consistency. Every room sits at the temperature you’ve set, without the visual presence of wall-mounted heads in each space. The advantage over evaporative cooling is performance: refrigerated ducted works in any weather, dehumidifies the air, and handles Melbourne’s 40°C summer days without compromise.
For larger homes — and especially for homes where the architecture deserves a system that disappears into the design — ducted refrigerated is usually the right answer.
If you’re weighing options, see our split system air conditioning and ducted gas heating pages.
When ducted refrigerated is the right choice
Ducted refrigerated is the premium standard for whole-of-home climate control.
For larger homes, architect-led builds, and homes where every room needs to sit at the right temperature, ducted refrigerated is what we specify. Here’s when it’s the right fit.
01
New builds & major renovations
Mount Eliza, Brighton, Toorak and the north-east — where ducting can be planned into the build cleanly and zoning can be designed around how the home actually lives.
02
Larger family homes
Multiple living spaces and bedrooms, each needing independent temperature control without cooling rooms that are empty.
03
Open-plan homes
Where a single split system can’t reach across the volume, or where the architectural intent rules out visible wall units.
04
Replacing old ducted heating
Modern ducted refrigerated systems can often reuse existing duct runs (subject to inspection) — cooling for the first time without a full tear-out.
05
Architecturally led Peninsula builds
Mornington Peninsula homes where bulkheads, linear slot diffusers and concealed returns are part of the design brief from day one.
06
Homes with hot upper floors
Where second-storey heat is the daily summer problem a split won’t solve, and a properly zoned ducted system finally does.
If you’re not sure whether ducted refrigerated, ducted gas, or evaporative is the right fit, that’s the consultation. We’ll specify around your home, not the other way round.
Zone control
Zoning is what separates a premium ducted system from a generic one.
A well-zoned system lets you condition only the rooms you’re using, control different spaces at different temperatures, and run efficiently rather than cooling the whole house when only the living and master bedroom matter. For Melbourne homes that are part-occupied through most of the day, zoning is the difference between an efficient system and an expensive one to run.
Smart zone controller
AirTouch 5
The premium smart zone controller widely specified for high-end Melbourne homes. Per-room temperature sensing, smart spill management, app and voice control, and a touchscreen that looks like it belongs in a considered home.
Daikin-branded
Daikin Zone Controllers
For Daikin-branded systems, with tight integration to the indoor unit. Familiar interface, robust local support.
Polyaire
MyAir
Robust, well-supported, with optional individual-grille control where complete room-by-room precision matters.
Mitsubishi indoor units
Mitsubishi Electric controllers
Including wired and wireless options matched to Mitsubishi indoor units.
Zoning is specified at design stage. Adding it later is painful and often visible. We’ll talk through zoning during the consultation so the system is right from day one.
Inverter-driven, reverse cycle
One system, two seasons.
Every ducted system we install is inverter-driven reverse cycle — meaning one system handles cooling in summer and heating in winter, ramping output up and down smoothly to match demand rather than cycling on and off.
Inverter technology matters for two things Melbourne homes care about: efficiency (running costs stay reasonable across mild and extreme days) and quiet operation (no hard compressor starts at 3am). For heating, modern inverter ducted systems hold their output even on Melbourne’s coldest mornings. If you’re weighing gas-fired heating instead — common in larger Melbourne homes with established gas connections — ducted gas heating can share the same duct runs.
27–35
dBA · low fan
Indoor fan coil, quiet plant location
2
Modes · one unit
Cool in summer, heat in winter
5
Year warranty
Standard on premium ducted units
Brands we install
Premium ducted systems from manufacturers we trust.
Smart Climate installs premium ducted refrigerated systems from manufacturers we trust to perform long-term and stay supported. The right unit depends on home size, ceiling cavity space, the zoning approach, acoustic priorities, and how the system will be controlled.
JP · Australian-tuned ducted
Daikin
Premium ducted ranges built for Australian conditions and broad zoning compatibility.
JP · AirTouch 5 pairing
Mitsubishi Electric
Often paired with AirTouch 5 — the most flexible zoning approach for considered homes.
JP · Strong all-rounder
Mitsubishi Heavy
Excellent low-ambient heating, quiet indoor fan coils, well-supported across the range.
JP · Broad ducted range
Fujitsu
Dependable, well-priced, broad indoor-unit range across capacities and head styles.
JP · nanoe™ filtration
Panasonic
Excellent indoor air quality with nanoe filtration — a strong choice when bedrooms matter.
JP · Design-led
Samsung
For design-led builds where the indoor unit profile and controller aesthetics matter.
That’s a specification call, not a sales pitch. Tell us how the home will be used, what the architecture allows, and how it should be controlled — we’ll specify accordingly.
How we install ducted refrigerated systems
Premium installation isn’t about the unit alone — it’s the work around it.
Premium installation isn’t about the unit alone — it’s about the duct design, the grille selection, the indoor unit location and the work that goes around it. Here’s how a Smart Climate install actually runs.
i.
Site visit & specification
We measure the home, look at how each space is used, assess ceiling space and access, and propose a system sized correctly for the heat load — not undersized to win on price, and not oversized to play safe.
ii.
Duct design
Duct runs are planned for short, smooth pathways. Sharp bends, restricted runs and undersized branches are where airflow noise and weak performance come from. We design around them.
iii.
Grille & outlet selection
Standard ceiling grilles, slimline grilles, linear slot diffusers or concealed bulkhead outlets — selected to suit the architecture, not chosen by default.
iv.
Indoor fan coil placement
Roof cavity, garage ceiling, or dedicated plant room — chosen for serviceability and acoustic isolation from bedrooms.
v.
Outdoor unit placement
Considered for airflow, drainage, neighbour acoustics, and how it reads from gardens and outdoor living areas.
vi.
Clean handover
Site cleaned. Controller and app paired. You’re walked through how to run the system properly — including the zoning logic — not handed a manual.
Compare options
Weighing alternatives? Start here.
A/01
Split system air conditioning
Targeted room-by-room cooling and heating where ducting isn’t needed or isn’t practical — period homes, additions, single-zone living.
Explore service →
A/03
Ducted gas heating
Gas-fired ducted heating where established gas connections favour it — can share the same duct runs as the cooling system.
Explore service →
T/01
Find your system
A short guided tool that asks about your home and how you live in it, then suggests the right system — split, ducted refrigerated, or ducted gas. Two minutes, no commitment.
Open the tool →→
Ducted refrigerated installation · Melbourne
From the Peninsula to the north-east.
We install ducted refrigerated air conditioning across premium Melbourne suburbs. If you’re not sure whether we cover your area, give us a call — we usually do.
Mornington Peninsula
Mt Eliza · Mornington · Mt Martha · Portsea · Sorrento · Flinders
Bayside
Brighton · Hampton · Sandringham · Beaumaris
Inner East
Toorak · South Yarra · Armadale · Hawthorn · Kew · Malvern
North-East
Balwyn · Canterbury · Doncaster · Templestowe · Eaglemont
Ducted refrigerated FAQs
Questions we hear, answered honestly.
If your question isn’t here, call us on 1800 577 522 — we’d rather have a five-minute conversation than send you a brochure.
How does ducted refrigerated compare to ducted gas plus evaporative cooling?
Ducted refrigerated is one system that does both cooling and heating. It dehumidifies, performs in any weather, and is quieter. Ducted gas plus evaporative is two systems with two sets of running costs and maintenance, and evap doesn’t perform on humid days. For premium homes, ducted refrigerated is usually the cleaner answer.
Do I need smart zoning?
For most Melbourne homes over three bedrooms, yes. Zoning materially reduces running costs and lets you keep bedrooms cool overnight without cooling the rest of the house.
Can you retrofit ducted refrigerated into an existing home?
Often, yes — provided there’s ceiling space and roof cavity access. Older homes in Toorak, Hawthorn and Kew sometimes need creative duct routing or bulkheads. We’ll assess at the site visit.
Can ducted refrigerated reuse my old ducted heating ductwork?
Sometimes. Existing ducts need to be inspected for size, insulation and condition. If they’re sound and correctly sized, reuse is possible. If not, replacement is the honest answer.
How quiet is a modern ducted refrigerated system?
The indoor unit, properly located, is barely audible inside the home. The outdoor unit sits at 45–55 dBA at one metre on most premium models. Placement and acoustic treatment make the difference.
Will it handle Melbourne 40°C summer days?
A correctly sized system, yes. Undersizing is the most common reason ducted systems struggle on hot days — we size against the actual heat load of the home, not the showroom brochure.
How long does installation take?
New ducted installations typically run two to four days depending on home size, ceiling access, and zoning complexity. We’ll give you an honest timeline at quote.
What’s the warranty on a ducted refrigerated system?
Five years on most premium ducted units, with extended manufacturer coverage available on selected ranges. Our installation work is covered separately.
Project — Brighton, 2025
Whole-of-home ducted refrigerated install with full zoning across living, bedrooms and home office. Concealed bulkhead diffusers in the master suite.
Talk to Smart Climate
If you know what you want, we’ll quote it. If you’re working it out, we’ll help you get there.
Whichever way you’d rather start — describe the system you want and we’ll quote it, or let us help you specify the right one for your home.
Or pick up the phone:☎ 1800 577 522