This feels like a US vs rest-of-the-world thing. In the US, “central” air conditioning is usually one-way and paired with a furnace for the winter. The main alt

This feels like a US vs rest-of-the-world thing. In the US, “central” air conditioning is usually one-way and paired with a furnace for the winter. The main alternative is window ac-only units which are removed in the winter. Mini-split heat pump units that heat and cool are everywhere in Asia and parts of Europe but are still relatively uncommon in most of the US. I installed one last year and had to shop around for an installer, several of which tried to talk me out of it. If this is what you think of as “air conditioning” then you’re right. Most Americans would think of a central air system that cannot heat.