Domus Matris: Energy Efficiency and Better Living

Combining beauty and function, this cutting-edge home in Shorewood is the only Certified Passive House (PHIUS+) building in Eastern Wisconsin and one of just two in the state. “Domus Matris” achieved this national designation as a model of ultra-energy efficiency through rigorous testing of air tightness, ventilation and insulation. Despite harsh Wisconsin winters and true to Passive House form, Domus Matris has no furnace. Aided by a mechanical heat pump, the home maximizes heat from the sun, interior appliances and even its occupants, and retains it through a super-tight building envelope that includes 24-inch-thick walls, triple-paned windows and an energy-recovery ventilator that supplies clean air and manages humidity. Building materials for the modest 1,950-square-foot home are non-toxic and recyclable, and the landscaping minimizes rainwater runoff — all making Domus Matris a model of superior craftsmanship and sustainable living in Milwaukee.