Building trusted sustainability tools: a Q&A with RMI

It’s essential to empower those working toward a sustainable future with the right tools. At Arcadia, we’re committed to equipping organizations with the technology and energy data required to build these tools quickly and seamlessly. 

That's why we're excited to highlight the work of RMI and their Green Upgrade Calculator. We recently sat down with Ryan Shea, a manager in the Carbon-Free Buildings team at RMI, to discuss how this innovative — and free — tool is helping to transform home decarbonization by providing trusted, data-driven insights for everyone from contractors to energy analysts. 

Read on to learn how the Green Upgrade Calculator is filling a critical gap in the market and driving the transition to a cleaner future.

Why did RMI create the Green Upgrade Calculator?

Ryan: The Green Upgrade Calculator was created to serve as an independent and readily available analytical tool for home decarbonization. Our goal was to establish a go-to resource for evaluating the cost and climate impacts of home upgrades, providing accurate and reliable calculations that everyone can trust. 

Who are the primary users of the calculator and how does it serve their specific needs?

Ryan: The calculator's primary users are energy professionals like home energy contractors and home energy analysts.

For home energy contractors, the tool helps analyze specific home upgrades, such as solar panels or heat pumps, and provides precise energy bill and carbon savings data that can be used by sales staff in quotes or to advise homeowners.

For home energy analysts, it allows for simulations across regions to assess the impact of home decarbonization upgrades, such as installing high-efficiency water heaters across a state, and how these would affect different home types.

How did RMI go about selecting partners to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the calculator's data?

Ryan: We wanted to choose organizations that are known for specializing in distinct areas of sustainability. For example, we partnered with Arcadia due to your expertise in energy data — especially electricity tariffs — while other partners like Solar United Neighbors, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership, and Pacific Northwest National Lab contributed expertise in areas such as rooftop solar, heat pump electrification, and weatherization. This collaboration ensured that the calculator accurately covered a wide range of essential topics.

How does Arcadia’s tariff data (from our Signal product) help the Green Upgrade Calculator facilitate smart energy decisions?

Ryan: Arcadia’s detailed tariff data is particularly valuable in states with specialized rates, such as time of use (TOU), electric heat rates, and EV charging rates, because it helps determine the long-term ROI of sustainable upgrades like solar panels. Having this level of accuracy is vital in the states where the energy bill may increase or decrease depending on the utility tariff selected. 

What feedback have you received from energy professionals who have used the calculator so far?

Ryan: The response has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from folks who appreciate the tool’s ability to fill a market gap in forecasting the costs of electrification. As Damian Hodkinson, VP of business development at Halco Energy noted, “We’re excited about [the tool]. Honestly, I think we’re gonna try to use it on every project.” We’re also gathering feedback from our thousands of calculator users to prioritize future updates to the calculator, such as integrating local clean energy incentives and ground-source heat pumps into a future version.

What’s next for the Green Upgrade Calculator?

Ryan: We’re working to expand our outreach efforts to get the calculator into the hands of as many energy professionals as possible. We also want to continue ​​building partnerships with energy experts like Arcadia to expand its capabilities as a trusted third-party sustainability planning resource.

Empowering the path to decarbonization

The Green Upgrade Calculator is a powerful step forward in the journey toward home decarbonization, offering invaluable insights for energy professionals. By combining expertise from trusted partners and focusing on state-specific data, it delivers the accuracy needed to make informed, impactful decisions. As we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in clean energy, tools like this are essential for a sustainable future.