Construction + Economy

After a stand-alone month of contracting demand for design services, there was a modest uptick in the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for October.

After seven months of steady growth in the demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) paused in September.

Wireless features, automated lighting controls, and home automation are becoming more popular in residential projects; the most popular home products demonstrate energy management features. These are just some of the findings from The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey covering activity during the second quarter of 2017 that focused on emerging home features, systems and technologies.

With all geographic regions and building project sectors showing positive conditions, there continues to be a heightened level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the August ABI score was 53.7, up from a score of 51.9 in the previous month.

For the sixth consecutive month, architecture firms reported increasing demand for design services as reflected in the July Architecture Billings Index (ABI). As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the July [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current conditions slid by more than 20 points from the near-term high of 76.5 reached in March of this year. As recently as last month, the current conditions index topped 60 but fell 7.2 points to reach July’s value of 53.3. Most of the change came from a larger [...]

The AIA Consensus Construction Forecast projects annual growth in the 3.5% to 4% range for the remainder of 2017 as well as for 2018, with a slower growing commercial/industrial market, and an institutional sector facing several challenges. While some slowdown in the commercial sector was anticipated for 2017 and 2018, it was expected to be [...]

Design services at architecture firms continue to project a healthy disposition on the construction industry as the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) recorded the fourth consecutive month of growth in May 2017. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. [...]

The first quarter of the year ended on a positive note for the Architecture Billings Index (ABI). As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the March ABI score was 54.3, up [...]