iREALeyes, LLC

The iREALeyes – Colleyville Vison Associates Project encompasses a sustainable, environmentally conscience, and energy efficient medical office building located in Colleyville, Texas. The building’s vision was to utilize a high-performance, design-build, process with an intense focus on LEED requirements. iREAleyes provided a LEED leadership role since this building is the first LEED building constructed in the City of Colleyville.

Currently, iREALeyes has achieved LEED Gold which is the first phase. The initial design incorporated the necessary structural, electrical, and space requirements to produce renewable solar energy along with battery storage to achieve LEED Zero Energy.

LEED Gold highlights are:

1. Site Selection
   1. The building site is adjacent to a 5000+ student, Grapevine Colleyville ISD campus thus allowing a visionary landmark of this LEED GOLD building. Also, this LEED project will educationally serve the school district’s STEM curriculum through onsite tours and educational programs.
   2. The site/building orientation along with the architectural analysis of window placement and sizes allowed optimal natural light into the patient waiting and testing areas creating a connection to nature and the outdoors.
   3. Parking spaces supported accommodations for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations for patients and the local community. Charging stations will be supported by renewable solar energy sources.
2. Water Efficiency
   1. An underground water cistern captures 100% of rainwater and cooling condensation utilizing roof gutters, underground piping, pumps, and a weather-based irrigation system. With the utilization of drought tolerant plants, no potable water is used to maintain the landscape.
3. Energy & Efficiency
   1. Five (5), energy efficient, RTUs were centrally positioned on the roof for even air flow distribution to each zone. The zone configurations encompass standardizing 4-ton unit specifications. These specifications were established through intensive analysis through multiple load and air flow calculations along with cost-benefit scenarios to optimize comfort levels for the patients and staff.
   2. HVAC systems are state-of-the-art RTUs which include a 21 SEER design, digital scroll compressors, variable frequency fan drives, integrated dehumidification subcomponents, MERV 13 filtration, energy reduction economizers, and network programmable thermostats.
   3. The incoming electrical energy source is integrated with a surge protector and noise filtration components to protect the computer network systems, building automation systems, server room components and high medical equipment. In addition, the surge protector and noise filtration components ensure a reliable and clean renewable solar electrical source that is produced on-site.
   4. The interior electrical distribution was divided into three (3) electrical panels for the plug loads, lighting, and HVAC building systems. This configuration allows the integration of a smart power meter into each panel. These smart power meters will allow continuous monitoring and data collection of energy usage for each specific building system. This data and trends are analyzed to further reduce electrical energy usage.
   5. Daylight harvesting technology will be integrated into a lighting controls system to fully utilize the natural light and reduce electrical energy usage.
   6. Electrical design incorporated the necessary wiring infrastructure to integrate the renewable solar energy and the Phase 2 solar batteries storage to obtain Net Zero Energy certification.
   7. The Building Energy Usage Index (EUI) is 51% less than the national median EUI for a medical office building.
4. Material & Resources
   1. On the exterior architectural features, the architect selected natural wood and stone that were locally produced and transported to the building site. In addition, the architect utilized the exterior natural stone entrance design and transitioned this design into interior reception areas creating a natural, exterior to interior, space transformational experience.
   2. Interior design incorporated glasswork partitions etched with aspen tree-like décor creating an ambience of nature and the outdoors. 
5. Indoor Environmental Quality
   1.  Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) specifications were developed by the LEED consultant.  During the construction phase, these specifications were monitored and documented daily for verification and compliancy.
   2. After building occupancy of six (6) months, IAQ was performed verified. Test results were well below acceptable levels thus concluding the LEED focused IAQ program was a success.
6. Innovation
   1. The design incorporated the necessary equipment, piping, and network monitoring devices to accommodate building leak detection and water usage. It continuously monitors and alerts building personnel of any abnormal water usage via a smart phone app.