Construction + Economy

National Architecture Week is a public awareness campaign dedicated to elevating the public’s appreciation of design and to bring attention to the role architects play as a force for positive change in communities. This year’s National Architecture Week will bring special focus on architects’ ability to impact communities through design and collaboration. Click here to [...]

The Lighting Controls Association has published a review of current construction economic indicators and the 2016 AIA Consensus Construction Forecast. GDP ended 2015 strongly with an annual estimated growth rate of 2.4%. The overall U.S. economy continues to improve. Positive economic conditions continue to support growth in demand for nonresidential construction. The nonresidential construction sector [...]

As has been the case a few times already this year, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dipped in November. 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 November ABI score was [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America measured 58.3 in November as a larger share of panelists reported conditions improved (33%) than reported they deteriorated (17%). The November EBCI reading was a substantial increase from the 44.7 recorded in October. In contrast, the EBCI for future North American conditions fell [...]

The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce recently announced that construction spending during October 2015 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,107.4 billion, 1% (±1.8%) above the revised September estimate of $1,096.6 billion. This figure is 13% (±2.5%) above the October 2014 estimate of $979.6 billion. During the first 10 [...]

There has been increasing levels of demand for design services for nearly all construction project types for the majority of the year as revealed in 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 [...]

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) returned to positive territory in September after a slight dip in August, and has seen growth in six of the first nine months of 2015. 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 [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America fell 10 points in September, dropping to 42.5. Fifteen percent of panelists reported the business environment facing electrical equipment manufacturers improved in September, while 30% claimed it worsened. Meanwhile, the EBCI for future North American conditions declined modestly to 52.5 in September after [...]

The U.S. Department of Energy reached a significant milestone in bringing the building community together by releasing a common definition of a zero energy building, or what is also referred to as a “net zero energy” or “zero net energy” building. After leading an extensive stakeholder engagement process over the past year and a half, [...]