In brief: Toshiba has renewed its wall-mounted range with the SHORAI Curve, a reversible air-to-air heat pump available in matt white or matt black. It reaches A+++ efficiency in both heating and cooling, runs from 19 dB(A), uses R-32 refrigerant and includes Wi-Fi as standard with energy monitoring. That combination is not merely a specification sheet: it means the unit satisfies every equipment condition for the reduced 5.5% VAT rate introduced on 18 July 2026. For owners of second homes on the Riviera, one feature in particular deserves attention. Prestige Air, your Toshiba specialist, explains.
Design, silence and comfort
A design made to disappear. The first thing you notice is what you don’t notice. Where most wall-mounted units still present a glossy white plastic box, the SHORAI Curve adopts a matt finish and continuous curved lines, in white or black. The matt black option is more than a styling exercise: in a panelled study, a dark-toned drawing room or a contemporary bedroom, it finally allows air conditioning to be installed without becoming the focal point of the room. In the properties we work on — where an interior architect has specified every finish — this is routinely the deciding factor, and until now it required moving considerably further up the range to obtain it.
Silence, measured properly. The indoor unit operates from 19 dB(A) in reduced mode — below the ambient noise floor of a quiet bedroom at night, and below the threshold at which the ear picks out a continuous source. Dedicated modes also reduce the acoustic output of the outdoor unit, which matters a great deal in a hillside property where the condenser sits near a neighbour’s terrace, or in a co-ownership with strict rules on plant noise. In our experience this is the single most common source of dispute following an installation, and it is addressed at the survey stage rather than after the fact.
Air that does not blow on you. The most frequent complaint about air conditioning is not noise but the cold draught directed at the occupants. Toshiba’s answer is Hada Care Flow: the airflow is projected indirectly and in three dimensions, so that air distributes through the volume of the room rather than across the people in it. The practical benefit is that a milder set-point delivers the same perceived comfort — which in turn reduces consumption.
Indoor air quality. Three technologies work together here. The Ultra-Pure filter captures up to 94% of PM2.5 fine particles, the ones that penetrate deepest into the respiratory tract. Plasma Ag treats the air by ionisation combined with the action of silver, limiting bacterial development. Magic Coil and the self-cleaning cycle apply a surface treatment and an automatic drying sequence to the exchanger, slowing fouling and the growth of mould inside the unit. One honest caveat: self-cleaning slows fouling, it does not replace servicing. An annual clean remains necessary to hold the stated performance — and to prevent the unit becoming an efficient distributor of allergens. This is particularly relevant for a property closed up for months at a time.
A+++ in heating as well as cooling
This is the significant technical point. The SHORAI Curve achieves class A+++ in both modes, with a SEER of up to 8.6 in cooling and a SCOP of up to 5.1 in heating.
In practical terms, for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed the unit delivers an average of more than five kilowatt-hours of heat across a heating season. That is what makes a modern air-to-air heat pump a genuine primary heating system rather than a summer convenience — a distinction that matters on the Riviera, where winter evenings in a stone villa are colder than visitors tend to expect.
These figures correspond to the most efficient sizes in the range. Ratings vary with output, and we confirm the energy class of the exact reference before quoting.
Remote control: the feature that matters for a second home
Wi-Fi is built in as standard, with no accessory to add. Through the Toshiba Home AC Control app you operate the system remotely, schedule it by time band and monitor energy consumption. Voice control is also supported.
For an owner who is not in residence for much of the year, this changes the nature of the equipment:
- Bring the villa up to temperature the day before you arrive, rather than on arrival.
- Confirm from abroad that the system was switched off after guests left.
- Hold a minimal winter set-point to protect the property from damp without heating it needlessly — and see on your phone what that actually costs.
- Treat an unexpected jump in consumption as an early warning, while there is still time to have it looked at.
There is also a regulatory dimension: connectivity of exactly this kind is now a legal condition for the reduced VAT rate, no longer simply a convenience.
The SHORAI Curve and the 5.5% VAT rate
Since 18 July 2026, the installation of an air-to-air heat pump can be invoiced at 5.5% VAT instead of the previous 20% on equipment and 10% on labour. An order dated 13 July 2026, published in the French Official Journal on 17 July, sets four cumulative conditions: a residential property completed more than two years ago; class A++ minimum in both SCOP and SEER for a single-split system up to 12 kW; a refrigerant compliant with F-Gas regulations; and a connected, schedulable system.
The SHORAI Curve satisfies the three conditions that depend on the equipment — efficiency, R-32 refrigerant and integrated connectivity. The only remaining variable is the property itself, and here the news is good for Riviera owners: second homes qualify exactly as principal residences do, provided the building is more than two years old. The reduced rate then covers equipment, installation accessories and labour alike.
One important qualification. The order defines performance criteria, not an official list of eligible references. Because the energy class varies with output, and because eligibility on a multi-split system is assessed on the complete installed combination rather than on each appliance individually, it is the exact reference on the quotation that governs. We generate the energy label for your specific configuration before you commit.
Sizing, single-split and multi-split. The range runs from roughly 2.5 kW to 7 kW in wall-mounted format — from a single bedroom to a large open reception room. The indoor units connect equally to a single-split outdoor unit or to a multi-split system, which allows a whole apartment or the bedroom wing of a villa to be served from one outdoor unit: a single penetration of the façade, and one condenser to conceal. Correct sizing depends on insulation, orientation, ceiling height and solar gain — and on the Riviera, a south-facing room with full-height glazing behaves nothing like the same room on a north elevation. An oversized unit consumes more, cycles more and ages faster than one properly calibrated.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 5.5% rate apply to my second home?
Yes. Principal and secondary residences qualify on the same terms, provided the property is residential and more than two years old.
Can the SHORAI Curve heat a property on its own?
Yes, in a properly insulated building. With a SCOP of up to 5.1 it functions as a primary heating system, provided it is sized for all the rooms concerned — generally in a multi-split configuration.
How does it differ from the SHORAI Edge?
The Curve builds on the same technical platform and advances it on three fronts: the design (matt finish, curved lines, black option), the Hada Care Flow air distribution, and an enhanced Wi-Fi function with energy monitoring. The black finish affects neither performance, nor sound levels, nor eligibility for the reduced VAT rate.
Is now a sensible moment to replace an older system?
It is worth knowing that R-410A refrigerant, used in many older split systems, is banned from 1 January 2027. Combined with the reduced VAT rate, this makes replacement rather than repair the more rational decision for an ageing installation.
Plan your Toshiba installation with Prestige Air
Our team designs, installs and services premium Toshiba, Daikin, Mitsubishi and Hitachi systems across Cannes, Mougins, Antibes, Grasse, Vallauris, Mouans-Sartoux and the surrounding French Riviera. We advise you on the right model and output for your property, verify eligibility for the 5.5% VAT rate and issue a clear quotation with the reduced rate already applied. Contact us for a complimentary consultation and quote.
Specifications taken from Toshiba manufacturer documentation, current as of 27 July 2026. Stated performance figures apply to the most efficient models in the range and are measured to the applicable standards. Tax information is based on the order of 13 July 2026 (French Official Journal, 17/07/2026), provided for general guidance only and not as tax advice; final eligibility is assessed on the installed configuration.