Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Financial Information Relating to Operating Segments (Detail)

Financial Information Relating to Operating Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Mar. 08, 2013	Sep. 25, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues from external customers			$ 27,494us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 26,877us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 17,517us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 4,952us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 7,079us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 5,313us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 7,357us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 6,311us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 76,840us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 26,060us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 4,481us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Segment income (loss)											(4,445)us-gaap_ProfitLoss	(3,669)us-gaap_ProfitLoss	(6,015)us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Corporate expenses											(6,442)rvlt_CorporateExpense	(6,853)rvlt_CorporateExpense	(3,401)rvlt_CorporateExpense
Change in fair value of embedded derivative												(6,990)
Gain on debt restructuring		1,048											1,048
Gain on bargain purchase of business	743											743
Deferred income tax benefit											6,550us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Interest expense, net											(843)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(52)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(210)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Net loss											(5,180)	(16,821)	(8,578)
Segment depreciation and amortization											5,623rvlt_SegmentDepreciationAndAmortization	3,097rvlt_SegmentDepreciationAndAmortization	393rvlt_SegmentDepreciationAndAmortization
Corporate depreciation and amortization											21	25	100
Total depreciation and amortization											5,644	3,122	493
Asset			126,542us-gaap_Assets				52,237us-gaap_Assets				126,542us-gaap_Assets	52,237us-gaap_Assets
Total expenditures for assets											485rvlt_CapitalExpenditures	133rvlt_CapitalExpenditures
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset			129,780				57,513				129,780	57,513
Total expenditures for assets											359	111
Elimination of intercompany receivables
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset			(31,303)				(14,231)				(31,303)	(14,231)
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset			28,065				8,955				28,065	8,955
Total expenditures for assets											126	22
Led Lighting Fixtures And Lamps
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues from external customers											72,373	22,823	792
Segment income (loss)											(4,213)	(3,495)	(5,820)
Segment depreciation and amortization											5,307	1,799	156
Asset			122,921				52,989				122,921	52,989
Total expenditures for assets											320	100
Led Lighting Signage And Media
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues from external customers											4,467	3,237	3,689
Segment income (loss)											(232)	(174)	(195)
Segment depreciation and amortization											316	1,298	237
Asset			6,859				4,524				6,859	4,524
Total expenditures for assets											$ 39	$ 11