If we buy the appropriate heat strips 8kW kit with this unit, does that mean that it will be heat pump compatible?

Yes, the A4AH4E36A1C3 air handler is heat-pump compatible; adding the appropriate 8 kW electric heat-strip kit would allow it to provide supplemental/backup electric heat when paired with a compatible heat-pump outdoor unit. The heat strips themselves do not make it a heat pump—the outdoor condenser must be a heat-pump model.

If you have any further questions, please call us and we will be happy to assist you.