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This RMI fact sheet responds to claims that "green" buildings could harm human health, clarifying that an Institute of Medicine report on climate change and indoor environments does not actually discuss "green" buildings, but rather focuses on the impact of tighter, energy-efficient building envelopes.

Amory Lovins' 2011 commencement address at the University of California at Berkeley advocates for "applied hope," a pragmatic approach to solving global crises through systemic, scalable, and resource-efficient solutions. He envisions a future where fossil fuels and nuclear energy are replaced by distributed renewables and efficiency, leading to stabilized climates, reduced conflict, and a circular economy.

A statement by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) arguing that the Fukushima nuclear disaster demonstrates the inherent dangers and economic obsolescence of nuclear power. Lovins contends that nuclear energy is uniquely risky, costly, and slow to deploy compared to renewable energy, cogeneration, and efficiency measures, which he presents as superior alternatives for climate protection.

This case study describes the design and performance of the Global Ecology Center (GEC) at Stanford University, an 11,000-square-foot laboratory facility. Using the '10xE' integrative design approach by Factor Ten Engineering, the project achieved significant energy and resource savings through passive design, innovative cooling systems, and strategic spatial planning, resulting in a building with nearly half the operating costs of a comparable existing facility.

This document is a technical guide and methodology supplement for the book 'Reinventing Fire', published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). It outlines a roadmap for transitioning the United States energy system from oil and coal to efficiency and renewables by 2050, emphasizing a business-led, profit-driven approach that avoids reliance on new inventions or legislative acts.

This policy brief by RMI advocates for the implementation of 'feebates' in the United States to reduce oil dependence and accelerate the adoption of efficient vehicles. It defines the feebate mechanism, proposes specific design goals based on a 2007 expert forum, and analyzes the success of France's 'bonus-malus' program as a case study.

This case study examines 'Lovins GreenHome 1.0', a residence and headquarters for the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) completed in 1984 in Snowmass, Colorado. The home serves as a demonstration of 'Factor Ten Engineering' (10xE), an integrative design approach that prioritizes functional goals and passive systems over conventional HVAC installations to achieve radical resource efficiency.

This case study examines the construction of the Autodesk AEC Solutions Division Headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts, as a demonstration of how Building Information Modeling (BIM) combined with Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) can create radical process efficiencies. By aligning the financial incentives of the owner, designer, and builder, the project achieved its goals under budget and on time, while securing LEED-CI Platinum certification.

This research paper outlines the principle of integrative design, which applies engineering principles to optimize whole systems for multiple benefits rather than focusing on individual components. The author argues that this approach can lead to energy and resource efficiency gains that are significantly larger and more cost-effective than conventional methods, potentially resulting in expanding returns on investment.

This case study by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute examines Cuba's transition from a fragile, centralized electricity system to a more resilient model based on energy efficiency and distributed micropower. Following severe blackouts in 2004 and 2005, the Cuban government launched 'La Revolución Energética' in 2006, which combined mass deployment of efficient appliances, inverted electricity tariffs, and the installation of thousands of microgenerators to eliminate blackouts by 2007 and improve grid resilience against natural disasters.

The author argues that the United States can simultaneously address nuclear proliferation, climate change, and oil dependence by rejecting nuclear power in favor of energy efficiency and renewable 'micropower.' He asserts that nuclear power is economically unviable, retards climate progress compared to cheaper alternatives, and inherently drives proliferation. The author suggests that the U.S. should shift its foreign policy and NPT obligations to help developing nations achieve energy security through non-nuclear, least-cost green technologies.

This research paper argues that nuclear proliferation, climate change, and oil dependence are interconnected problems that can be solved simultaneously by shifting energy strategy away from nuclear power and fossil fuels toward energy efficiency and 'micropower' (distributed renewables and cogeneration). The author contends that nuclear power is economically unviable and inherently linked to proliferation risks, while integrative design and renewable technologies offer more profitable and faster paths to energy security and carbon reduction.

The 2010 RMI study identifies a critical lack of empirical performance data and financing hurdles as the primary barriers to deep energy efficiency retrofits in the U.S. commercial building sector. While 71% of stakeholders express interest in deep retrofits to reduce costs, the industry is hindered by 'cream-skimming' of low-risk measures, split incentives between landlords and tenants, and regulatory uncertainty surrounding PACE financing. The report concludes that providing case studies, improved modeling tools, and verified performance data is essential to instill confidence in financial institutions and building owners.

The report proposes the creation of the Federal Freight Efficiency Authority (FFEA), a U.S. government agency designed to reduce oil dependence by improving the fuel efficiency of Class-8 heavy-duty trucks. The FFEA would provide default risk insurance on lease payments for independent owner-operators and small fleets, enabling them to transition from inefficient used trucks to new, high-efficiency vehicles.

This report argues that electric utilities must shift from a traditional model of managing uncontrollable demand with large 'baseload' plants to a new paradigm using a diversified portfolio of smaller, variable resources, including energy efficiency and renewables, to maintain reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Amory B. Lovins, Chairman and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), critiques a chapter on nuclear power from Stewart Brand's book, 'Whole Earth Discipline: an Ecopragmatist Manifesto'. Lovins argues that Brand's support for nuclear energy is based on flawed logic and ignores empirical data regarding economics, carbon efficiency, and the viability of decentralized renewable alternatives.

The Menu is a guide published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) that provides a framework of actions for community leaders to prepare their cities for the adoption of electrified vehicles (plug-ins). It categorizes actions into "must have" and "nice to have" tiers, targeting a goal of having plug-ins account for 2% of total registered vehicles within five years.

This case study by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) details a deep energy efficiency retrofit of the Empire State Building in New York City. The project focused on reducing thermal loads and upgrading systems to achieve significant energy savings and carbon reductions, utilizing an integrative design process and life cycle cost analysis to balance financial returns with environmental goals.

This report by RMI argues that nuclear power is an uncompetitive and inefficient solution for climate change compared to decentralized alternatives. The authors contend that nuclear power suffers from escalating capital costs, high financial risk, and slow deployment speeds, making it unattractive to private investors. They suggest that 'micropower'—including wind, solar, and cogeneration—along with end-use efficiency, provides a more cost-effective, reliable, and secure path to reducing carbon emissions.

The Smart Garage Charrette Report, published by Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in December 2008, outlines a vision for integrating electrified vehicles (xEVs), net-zero buildings, and a smart renewable grid. Based on a design workshop (charrette) involving 80 experts from 25 organizations, the report identifies a near-term path toward 'V1G' (smart one-way charging) as a faster, less complex first step than 'V2G' (bi-directional charging). It details the ecosystem's stakeholders—automakers, utilities, charging providers, connectors, and consumers—and proposes specific projects to overcome critical barriers such as uncertain consumer demand, high battery costs, and fragmented utility regulation.