If the duct system is designed correctly, you shouldn't have any one room particularly cold.

Which manufacturer are you considering? Look at their rated temperature. Fujitsu is considered the best. Electric baseboards heat the room quite slowly.

One of the contributors on this site highly recommends Bosch ducted systems. Perhaps he will see your post. BTW, what is your electric rate. I see no need for electric baseboard. Since you will be all electric, are you considering a generator backup?

IMO

You should be looking at equipment that is common for you area. The equipment needs to be sized and installed correctly. You want an installer who regularly installs and services the equipment you are buying.

This advice is imperitive if you live where it is cold and prone to power failures you will need a backup generator for sure. Most new construction where I live in S BC have heat pumps and they seem to be good. We have hot water heat with a gas boiler and baseboard hydroniic units . I love the way this heats my house so evenly there are no hot or cold spots ever the disadvantage of course is we need auxilary cooling in the summer but I would never go back to vent system for heating.

The equipment you are considering is a low-temp heat pump designed for use in your climate zone. Whether the system provides the comfort level you want in conditioned living areas depends on the design of your home's "thermal envelope" (i.e., windows, insulation, air sealing, etc.,) the proper sizing of the equipment, the duct design, and whether the system has a single or multiple zones of control.

Installation of baseboard electric heaters to supplement a ducted HVAC system is typically a tell-tale sign of a system which was not properly designed or which has not been properly maintained. An exception would be when a warmer environment is required in a single, relatively-small space such as a bedroom for an elderly person. Another potential application for baseboard heaters might be in lieu of a ducted system for your finished basement if the heat load is distinctly different from the above-grade living areas.

Bottom line: the performance of any HVAC system depends on proper design, proper installation, and proper maintenance of the system as a whole.

Since you live in Atlantic Canada, I would suggest contacting Maritime Geothermal that is located in Atlantic Canada and is a major designer/ manufacturer of geothermal and Cold Climate Air-To-Water and Air-To-Air heat pumps. It would be great if you can support a regional company that is close by and understands your weather very well.

IMPO

SR

Nordic HP

Just one observation on the backup generator recommendations - you need a BIG generator to run a heat pump/air conditioner!! (And a BIG propane tank to fuel it).

heat pumps have come a really long way. it rarely freezes here in seattle, but when it does, our mitsitushi hyper heat works like a champ, no backup heat source. however, we have an old house and the ducts are not properly balanced for this new system. there are some rooms colder than others. it's not too bad in the winter, but in the summer, our living room gets HOT while the other rooms don't need AC at all. part of the problem is that floor heat ducts are not exactly great for AC ducts. also in the winter, we wish we could heat just the rooms we use. bottom line: we really wish we had gotten the split system. even new constructions usually go for split in this area.

hopefully since yours is a new construction, you won't have that problem with your ducts. but just keep all that in mind.

as far as your much colder climate: go with what the HVAC company recommends. if they say you don't need a backup heat source, then don't get one. if you realize later that you have one or two rooms that are still cold, you can always get one of those radiator style space heaters.

In such a cold climate you should have an alternate heating source for power failures. A gas, LP, or wood burning stove would be best and can serve to add heat if the heat pump can’t keep up. It offers great peace of mind along with comfort.

I would not depend on a heat pump to keep you warm if you regularly have winter temps below 0 degrees F. The included electric coils will run you many hundreds of $$ if they are used regularly.

New System...please no electric space heaters for nice new construction...