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This guide by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides best practices for universities to develop and implement effective campus climate action plans. It organizes its recommendations into three pillars: people (team assembly and stakeholder engagement), policy (investment decision-making and contracting), and plan (baseline development, renewable energy strategies, and portfolio-wide implementation).

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 research paper by RMI outlines strategies for integrating energy modeling throughout the four main phases of building design—concept, schematic design, design development, and construction documentation—to move beyond simple code compliance and actively minimize energy use.