Residential · Berkeley, CA · 2026
Capistrano Ave, Berkeley: five-zone Mitsubishi Smart Multi heat pump
One 5-ton Mitsubishi Smart Multi outdoor unit serving five zones: a ducted air handler, a slim ducted unit and three ceiling cassettes, built with the general contractor during a remodel.
On this Berkeley remodel we worked with the general contractor to heat and cool the whole house from one outdoor unit. A Mitsubishi Smart Multi 5-ton heat pump feeds a branch box and five indoor units, each chosen for its room: an 18k air handler, a 12k slim ducted unit and three 9k one-way ceiling cassettes. Every zone has its own kumo touch controller.
- Type
- VRF / Multi-Zone System
- Client
- General contractor-led project
- System
- Mitsubishi Smart Multi 5-ton multi-zone heat pump, 5 indoor units
- Location
- Berkeley, CA · 2026
Scope
- — Mitsubishi MXZ-SM60NAM2-U1 Smart Multi 5-ton outdoor unit with a PAC-MKA51BC branch box
- — SVZ-KP18NA 18k multi-position air handler
- — PEAD-A12AA7 12k ceiling-concealed slim ducted unit
- — Three MLZ-KP09NA2-U1 9k one-way ceiling cassettes
- — Five kumo touch (MHK2) wireless controllers, one per zone
- — Returns added by change order: fabricated sheet-metal plenums and ducting
- — Pacific Registers supply and return grilles
- — Startup: nitrogen pressure test, evacuation to 500 microns or less, charge set for line length, static pressure set on the ducted units, condensate drains flow-tested
- — Closeout package with submittals, manuals, maintenance schedule and startup report
Constraints
- — Five zones of three different indoor-unit types on one outdoor unit
- — Return air added mid-project, which needed custom fabricated plenums
- — Outdoor unit control board replaced after electrical damage on site
3rdGen's Role
3rdGen designed the multi-zone layout, installed every zone, fabricated the return plenums, commissioned the system and delivered the closeout package to the general contractor.
Outcome
The house runs on a single heat pump with five independently controlled zones, and the owner received a full closeout package with the startup report and manuals.
Photography
