Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Long-Term Debt (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding $ 102,292us-gaap_LongTermDebt $ 116,196us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Current portion of long-term debt 12,255us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent 12,974us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Long-term debt, less current portion 90,037us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent 103,222us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Variable rate construction to term loan payable in quarterly installments through December 2024    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 13,638us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_VariableRateTermLoanDueInDecember2024Member 		18,558us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_VariableRateTermLoanDueInDecember2024Member
Term Loan | 8.673% term loan payable in quarterly installments through December 2015    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_EightPointSixSevenThreePercentTermLoanMaturingInDecember2015Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		1,667us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_EightPointSixSevenThreePercentTermLoanMaturingInDecember2015Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | 6.345% term loan payable in semi-annual installments through February 2021    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 1,968us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointThreeFourFivePercentTermNoteDueInFebruary2021Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		2,192us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointThreeFourFivePercentTermNoteDueInFebruary2021Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | 6.345% term loan payable in semi-annual installments through June 2024    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 10,468us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointThreeFourFivePercentTermNotespayableinsemiannualinstallmentsDueJune2024Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		11,059us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointThreeFourFivePercentTermNotespayableinsemiannualinstallmentsDueJune2024Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | Variable rate construction to term loan payable in quarterly installments through December 2024    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 12,436us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_VariableRateTermLoanDueInDecember2024Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		13,251us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_VariableRateTermLoanDueInDecember2024Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | 6.500% term loan payable in monthly installments through October 2017    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 350us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointFiveZeroZeroPercentTermNoteDueInOctober2017Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		459us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointFiveZeroZeroPercentTermNoteDueInOctober2017Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | 7.250% term loan payable in quarterly installments through March 2021    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 3,746us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SevenPointTwoFiveZeroPercentTermNoteDueInMarch2021Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		4,258us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SevenPointTwoFiveZeroPercentTermNoteDueInMarch2021Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | 6.110% term loan payable in monthly installments through June 2028    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 6,081us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointOneOneZeroPercentTermNoteDueInSeptember2024Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		7,028us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_SixPointOneOneZeroPercentTermNoteDueInSeptember2024Member
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Term Loan | Three Point Two Three Three Term Loan Payable In Quarterly Installments Due March Two Thousand Twenty [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding 41,041us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_ThreePointTwoThreeThreeTermLoanPayableInQuarterlyInstallmentsDueMarchTwoThousandTwentyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember 		45,261us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= amrc_ThreePointTwoThreeThreeTermLoanPayableInQuarterlyInstallmentsDueMarchTwoThousandTwentyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= amrc_TermLoanMember
Senior secured credit facility, due June 2016, interest at varying rates monthly in arrears    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Amount outstanding $ 25,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= amrc_RevolvingSeniorSecuredCreditFacilityMember 		$ 25,714us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= amrc_RevolvingSeniorSecuredCreditFacilityMember