Ameresco, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Cover
- Document and Entity Information
Financial Statements
Notes to Financial Statements
Accounting Policies
- Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
Notes Tables
Notes Details

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Sale-Leaseback (Details)

v3.5.0.2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Sale-Leaseback (Details)	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) project	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) project	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) project	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) project	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($) project	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of solar-PV projects							$ 17,045,000	$ 7,581,000
Solar Photovoltaic Projects
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Maximum combined funding amount						$ 100,000,000
Number of solar photovoltaic projects sold \| project	1	3	2	1		2
Proceeds from sale of solar-PV projects	$ 6,037,000	$ 7,467,000	$ 3,541,000	$ 4,925,000		$ 7,581,000
Percentage of fair value threshold, integral equipment							10.00%
Sale leaseback transaction, deferred gain	1,040,000				$ 1,029,000		$ 1,040,000	$ 1,029,000
Lease terms		20 years		20 years				20 years	20 years
Sale leaseback transaction, deferred loss		$ 124,000		$ 1,421,000
Capital lease liabilities								$ 3,511,000
Solar Photovoltaic Projects \| Minimum
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Lease terms							20 years
Monthly payments							$ 2,000		$ 7,000
Solar Photovoltaic Projects \| Maximum
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Lease terms							25 years	25 years
Monthly payments							$ 397,000		$ 348,000
Solar Photovoltaic Projects \| Assets Held under Capital Leases
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Capital lease assets	3,158,000			$ 3,299,000	$ 0		8,830,000
Solar Photovoltaic Projects 25 Year Term
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Sale leaseback transaction, deferred gain	$ 333,000						$ 333,000
Lease terms	25 years
Solar Photovoltaic Projects 25 Year Term \| Minimum
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Monthly payments	$ 2,000
Solar Photovoltaic Projects 25 Year Term \| Maximum
Sale Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]
Monthly payments	$ 397,000

- Definition

Maximum Combined Funding Amount, Sale Leaseback Transactions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amrc_MaximumCombinedFundingAmountSaleLeasebackTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	amrc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of Fair Value Threshold, Integral Equipment

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amrc_PercentageofFairValueThresholdIntegralEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	amrc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sale Leaseback Transaction, Deferred Loss, Net, Total

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amrc_SaleLeasebackTransactionDeferredLossNetTotal
Namespace Prefix:	amrc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sale Leaseback Transaction, Number of Projects Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amrc_SaleLeasebackTransactionNumberofProjectsSold
Namespace Prefix:	amrc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sale Leaseback Transaction, Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	amrc_SaleLeasebackTransactionTerm
Namespace Prefix:	amrc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase during the period in capital lease obligations due to entering into new capital leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsIncurred
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of acquisition of long-lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of the gain that will be recorded as income or a reduction in rent expense in future periods less amounts recognized in the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Section 35
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35688829&loc=d3e50609-112754

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionDeferredGainNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the monthly rental payments due under the lease entered into in connection with the transactions involving the sale of property to another party and the lease of the property back to the seller.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6456341&loc=d3e50796-112755

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionMonthlyRentalPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash inflow after closing and debt issuance costs received by a seller-lessee in a sale-leaseback recognized in financing activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Section 55
-Paragraph 51
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28365400&loc=d3e51840-112757

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Section 55
-Paragraph 50
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28365400&loc=d3e51831-112757

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 40
-Section 55
-Paragraph 52
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28365400&loc=d3e51843-112757

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionNetProceedsFinancingActivities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionDescriptionAxis=amrc_SolarPhotovoltaicProjectsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_AssetsHeldUnderCapitalLeasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionDescriptionAxis=amrc_SolarPhotovoltaicProjects25YearTermMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: