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This research paper by Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues that Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) is a superior financial tool compared to simple payback analysis for evaluating energy efficiency measures (EEMs) in building construction and retrofits. The authors advocate for a comprehensive four-step LCCA process—establishing a baseline, defining EEMs, calculating financial metrics, and bundling measures—to capture synergistic benefits and avoid sub-optimal design choices.

This executive summary reports on a workshop held on April 2, 2014, convened by the General Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). The workshop aimed to review the National Deep Energy Retrofit (NDER) program and collaborate with energy service companies (ESCOs) to increase energy savings in federal buildings through energy saving performance contracts (ESPCs).

This briefing by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) outlines 17 federal energy policy goals designed to reduce U.S. oil use and greenhouse gas emissions by 50% each within 10 years. The strategy prioritizes reducing energy demand through efficiency in buildings, transport, and industry before substituting supply with renewables and a 'Smart Grid'. RMI estimates these goals could create over three million jobs by 2012.