Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Amortization expense (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Amortization expense (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense $ 5,149us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets $ 2,859us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets $ 266us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Patents And Trade Names      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 688us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_PatentsAndTradeNamesMember
388us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_PatentsAndTradeNamesMember
109us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_PatentsAndTradeNamesMember
Patents And Trade Names | Minimum      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 12 years    
Patents And Trade Names | Maximum      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 17 years    
Customer Relationships      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 1,694us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
761us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
116us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Customer Relationships | Minimum      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 10 years    
Customer Relationships | Maximum      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 15 years    
Customer Contracts      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 56us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
1,613us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
 
Customer Contracts | Minimum      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 1 year    
Customer Contracts | Maximum      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 3 years    
Technology      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 129us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_TechnologyMember
67us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_TechnologyMember
 
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 10 years    
Favorable Leases      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 61us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_FavorableLeasesMember
3us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_FavorableLeasesMember
 
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 10 years    
Non-compete agreements      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 141us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
10us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
 
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 6 years    
Backlog      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense 2,369us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_OrderOrProductionBacklogMember
   
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 1 year    
Product Certification      
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]      
Intangible assets, amortization expense $ 11us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_ProductCertificationAndLicensingCostsMember
$ 17us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_ProductCertificationAndLicensingCostsMember
$ 41us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= rvlt_ProductCertificationAndLicensingCostsMember
Intangible assets, estimated useful life 3 years