Archinect - News

March Architecture Billings Index declines significantly due to inflation and supply chain issues

2024-04-24T13:23:00-04:00

The AIA/Deltek’s latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for the month of March has posted a decline to a score of 43.6. The new figures indicate a reversal of February’s “most modest easing.”

The AIA says: "This shows that clients are interested in starting new projects but remain hesitant to sign a contract and officially commit to those projects. However, most firms report that they still have strong project backlogs of 6.6 months, on average, so even with the ongoing soft patch, they still have work in the pipeline."

There were a number of revealing statistics included in the ABI report, which recorded responses from a special practice questions survey, including (among others) the ease at which design contracts are being negotiated when compared to the experiences of firm leaders within the industry just 4 to 5 years ago. 46% now report having a "more challenging" time negotiating their design fees versus the pre-pandemic time period, with another 14% saying that it was "much...

Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Ruth Carter to give keynotes at 2024 AIA Conference

2024-04-05T11:47:00-04:00

Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Ruth Carter have been announced as keynote speakers for the upcoming AIA Conference on Architecture & Design 2024. Gupta will deliver his speech to the Washington D.C. conference on June 7th, with Carter delivering her speech on June 8th.

Gupta is the Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, where he reports on health and medical news domestically and internationally. “Since 2001, Gupta has covered some of the world’s most important public health and safety stories, including the COVID-19 pandemic — reaffirming his role as a trusted guide to millions of viewers navigating between facts and fiction,” the AIA said.

Meanwhile, Carter is an Academy Award-winning costume designer most well-known for her work on Marvel’s blockbuster film Black Panther, where she made history as the first Black person to win the category. “Her career in film and television spans over three decades, collaborating with prolific directors like Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, and Ava DuVernay,” A...

Taylor Swift to give keynote at 2024 AIA Conference

2024-04-01T08:00:00-04:00

Emerging music artist Taylor Swift has been announced as the keynote speaker for the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design 2024. In advance of the event, Archinect has gained exclusive access to a leaked version of Swift’s speech, which is titled ‘A New Architecture Era.’

Swift is expected to begin her speech by taking an adversarial tone with the AIA, questioning if her invitation to deliver the keynote speech was made as a joke. “I don’t like your little games,” she will say. “Don’t like your tilted stage; the role you made me play of the fool.”

In addition to taking aim at the AIA, Swift is also expected to use the speech to offer an atonement for her involvement as an advisor for Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project. “I knew you were trouble when you walked in,” she will say, directly addressing the project organizers. “So, shame on me now. You flew me to places I’d never been, now I’m lyin’ on the cold hard ground.”

Turning to her vision for the future of the built environment, Swift...

Kimberly Dowdell hits back at anti-DEI push in business circles and academia

2024-03-25T14:21:00-04:00

The new AIA President and Principal in HOK’s Chicago office, Kimberly Dowdell, talked with Crain’s recently, stating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts must be sustained in the face of the latest anti-DEI pushback parroted by Elon Musk and other business leaders that contributed to the resignation of Harvard University President Claudine Gay and other rollbacks on Wall Street and in corporate America.

"It's really disturbing how quickly the pendulum is shifting back toward a less inclusive and diverse society," she says, referring to different policymakers who are beginning to codify their resistance in conservative states like Florida and Texas.

Revisit our 2019 Archinect Sessions interview with Kimberly Dowdell, then President of the National Organization of Minority Architects

Of her company’s ethos she says, "[It’s] about diversity and its multiple forms in terms of its people but also the work and the kinds of work that we do," something that has underpinned its success...

February Architecture Billings Index softens decline, shows encouraging signs of economic turnaround

2024-03-20T12:38:00-04:00

New data from the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for the month of February has revealed a continued decline to a new score of 49.5. The figure, however, represents the "most modest easing" since July 2023 (any score below 50 indicates a decline), suggesting an improvement over the economic downturn of last year.

"There are indicators this month that business conditions at firms may finally begin to pick up in the coming months. Inquiries into new projects grew at their fastest pace since November, and the value of newly signed design contracts increased at their fastest pace since last summer," Kermit Baker, the AIA’s Chief Economist, said of the data. "Given the moderation of inflation for construction costs and prospects for lower interest rates in the coming months, there are positive signs for future growth."

For the month, firms in the Midwest region showed a continued growth in billings for what is now the fourth out of the last five consecutive months.

February ...

AIA elevates 96 architects and two non-members to the AIA College of Fellows

2024-03-01T18:46:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects has selected 96 member architects and 2 non-member architects to the AIA College of Fellows.

A jury of seven-member fellows led by Chair Lisa Lamkin of Brown Reynolds Watford Architects was responsible for the selection process, which vets architects up for consideration for the College of Fellows. The Honorary Fellows were selected by a separate nine-person panel chaired by Sandra Barclay. Each new fellow will be honored at the AIA Awards Gala held June 7th at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

To gain admission, candidates must have at least ten years of AIA membership and demonstrated influence in at least one of the six broad areas, including the advancement standards of practice, promotion of different efficiencies, higher living standards for the built environment, and pursuit of an architecture that is in service to society.

The full list of new member Fellows and their AIA affiliation reads as follows:

Douglass Alligood, AIA...

January Architecture Billings Index increases slightly while soft business conditions remain

2024-02-21T13:39:00-05:00

The latest data contained in the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for the month of January has shown a slight increase from December's 45.4 total to a new score of 46.2, signaling a continued weakening in business conditions as we enter 2024 following a year of heavy economic turbulence for the industry. (Any score below 50 indicates decreasing business conditions.)

For the month, indicators remained poor in all areas except the Midwest (which has performed well since the fall). Multifamily residential specialty firms continue to report the softest business conditions of all project types and categories. The AIA did, however, point out several other silver linings that can be taken from its report.

"This now marks the lengthiest period of declining billings since 2010, although it is reassuring that the pace of this decline is less rapid and the broader economy showed improvement in January," Kermit Baker, the AIA’s Chief Economist, said in a statement. "Firms are seeing...

Profitability is the biggest challenge facing architecture firms in 2024, says AIA analysis

2024-01-31T12:15:00-05:00

The AIA’s chief economist Kermit Baker has offered reflections on the economic context facing architecture firms throughout 2024. Baker, who previously shared reflections with Archinect on the industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, says that “while 2024 may indeed end up looking a lot like last year, the reasons are likely to be very different.”

Citing data from the AIA’s December 2023 Works on the Boards survey, Baker notes that the most pressing issue facing firms in 2024 will be “increasing firm profitability,” with 30% of firms in the survey indicating this to be one of their top three concerns. Other challenges cited include “managing rising costs of running a firm” and “negotiating appropriate project fees.”

“Another set of challenges for the year are about a weakening project workload and concerns over how clients are dealing with economic uncertainty,” Baker notes in his new piece for the AIA. “So, while having more work than a firm could easily manage given staffin...

December Architecture Billings Index declines slightly to cap a challenging economic year for firms

2024-01-24T12:38:00-05:00

The new December Architecture Billings Index from the American Institute of Architects has shown a continued decline in business conditions to end the year 2023. The new index score of 45.4 was essentially left flat from November’s totals (any score below 50 indicates a decline) though there remained a few encouraging statistics within the production pipeline.

The findings cap a difficult economic year for architecture firms, which experienced suppressed conditions in all sectors (especially multifamily residential) for the balance of the year. The AIA says additionally that most firms report projects have been significantly delayed, put on hold, or even canceled in the past six months. On average, the report states, nearly 30% of projects have fallen into one of these categories.

“Billings at firms declined for eight months of the year, and the last four months saw this overall weakness accelerate,” Kermit Baker, the AIA’s Chief Economist, said. “Fortunately, project backlogs at fi...

Construction sector will weaken across 2024 and 2025, says AIA

2024-01-23T11:29:00-05:00

Spending on nonresidential buildings will see a minor 4% increase in 2024 despite a 20% increase in 2023, according to the AIA’s latest Consensus Construction Forecast. In 2025, meanwhile, the pace is expected to slow to just over 1% growth.

Across key sectors, manufacturing construction will see a 10% increase in 2024, while institutional construction will see mid-single-digit gains over the next two years. Spending on commercial construction is expected to be flat for the next two years.

The strong performance of manufacturing construction continues from 2023, where it accounted for almost 30% of overall spending on nonresidential buildings. Last year also saw spending on offices increase by 8%, while hotels increased by 21% and retail and other commercial facilities increased by 7%. Elsewhere, healthcare and education spending both rose by 13%.

Extract from the AIA's latest Consensus Construction Forecast. The interactive data is available to view here.

In analyzing the strong per...

November Architecture Billings Index remains below 50 for the fourth consecutive month

2023-12-20T13:31:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects has released new Architecture Billings Index data for the month of November, indicating a further softening of business conditions with a score below 50 recorded for what is now the fourth month in a row.

The new 45.3 score for the month is still a full point higher than October’s total. The AIA says firms in the West region were the most impacted, reaching new lows for the calendar year. Multi-family residential specialty firms remained among the hardest-hit operations, along with architects working heavily in the institutional sector.

“This marks the seventh month in 2023 with a decline in billings. Over the past three months, this pace of decline has accelerated, with firms in all specializations and in all regions of the country reporting weakening business conditions,” the AIA’s Chief Economist Kermit Baker said in a press release. “However, with signs that credit conditions are beginning to ease, firms are reporting an uptick in inquiries...

Kimberly Dowdell is inaugurated as the AIA's first Black woman president

2023-12-18T14:20:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) celebrated a significant organizational milestone with the inauguration of Kimberly Dowdell as its AIA National President for 2024.

The AIA's 100th president overall is also the first-ever Black woman to head the post, following in the wake of 2023 President Emily Grandstaff-Rice.

At an inauguration ceremony last Friday, December 15th, the Cornell University and Harvard Kennedy School alumna who formerly headed the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) from 2019 to 2020, said: "Being elected as the 100th president of AIA is both an honor and responsibility that I embrace wholeheartedly.”

“My journey in architecture, from my roots in Detroit to this influential role, has deepened my conviction that design has the power to transform communities and elevate the human experience,” she continued. “This opportunity to serve my profession beautifully aligns with my overarching mission to improve people's lives through design, foster...

AIA and RIBA renew professional agreement pact

2023-12-12T15:08:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have announced a continuation of the professional partnership that, put together, impacts more than 140,000 architects in the U.S. and UK combined.

In order to foster collaboration and strive towards better professional work environments and the improvement of the built environment overall, the two groups signed a Memorandum of Understanding that they say will ensure better sharing of knowledge and resources while taking measures to simplify practice areas in both countries.

“AIA is looking forward to our continued cooperation with the RIBA. To create a stronger, more resilient, and equitable world, architects will need to work together, and our relationship will serve to both foster and reflect this collaboration amongst our esteemed members,” AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer, Lakisha Ann Woods, said at the declaration.

RIBA Chief Executive Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick (left) and AIA EVP/Chief...

Residential business conditions weaken while remodeling remains popular, says AIA Home Design Trends Survey

2023-12-06T11:54:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects has published its latest quarterly report on residential design in the United States. The AIA Home Design Trends Survey for Q4 2023 focused on the theme ‘neighborhood and community design,’ and revealed a desire among clients for simpler detailing on home exteriors and more windows.

Home exterior trends from the latest AIA survey. Image credit: American Institute of Architects

According to data from architects on client expectations, ‘contemporary home styles’ remain the most popular feature, mentioned by 51% of clients. ‘Simpler detailing on exteriors’ was requested by 29% of clients, and ‘front/side porches’ by 27% of clients.

On home exteriors, ‘low maintenance/durable exteriors’ was the most popular request, mentioned by 59% of clients. A focus on ‘windows (number and size) was cited by 48% of clients and ‘metal finishes’ by 35%.

Neighborhood/community trends from the latest AIA survey. Image credit: American Institute of Architects

On a neighb...

AIA will send nine-member delegation to COP28 in Dubai

2023-11-28T19:15:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects today announced the appointment of a nine-member delegation that will represent the professional body at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) ahead of its commencement this Thursday in Dubai.

In a separate announcement today, AIA says its 96,000-strong community is one of the “best kept secrets” in the fight against climate change. As such, the aim of its envoy is to foster strategic partnerships with industry and government in addition to promoting much of the AIA’s own climate platform and 2030 Commitment. Their input will provide a valuable source of knowledge for policymakers while advocating for the better health of the built environment overall, the Institute states.

“AIA and its delegation are eager to attend COP28. Being here ensures the voice of architects is heard in the global conversation about urgent climate change. Buildings are currently responsible for 40 percent of carbon emissions,” 2023 AIA President Em...

October Architecture Billings Index drops below 50 for third consecutive month

2023-11-15T12:44:00-05:00

The newly-released Architecture Billings Index from the American Institute of Architects has indicated a significant decline in billings after posting a total score under 50 for the third month in a row.

The October score of 44.3 offers a slight decrease from September’s total of 44.8. The West and Northeast regions were reporting the biggest impact. The AIA stated that billings were, however, “universally soft” across the entire country.

“This report indicates not only a decrease in billings at firms but also a reduction in the number of clients exploring and committing to new projects, which could potentially impact future billings. The soft conditions were evident across the entire country as well as across all major nonresidential building sectors,” Kermit Baker, the AIA’s Chief Economist, said in a press release.

October ABI Highlights

Regional averages: Northeast (42.1); South (48.5); Midwest (48.9); West (40.0)
Sector index breakdown: commercial/industrial (43.7); institutiona...

Architecture Billings Index declines sharply in September, indicating a 'marked downturn' in demand for design services

2023-10-18T13:10:00-04:00

The latest Architecture Billings Index from the American Institute of Architects for the month of September is showing declines for a second consecutive month to a total score of 44.8 (any score above 50 indicates an increase) following a brief period of stabilization that occurred over the summer.

The new score was also reported by the AIA as the lowest figure recorded since the height of the pandemic in December 2020. Every sector except for institutional, which remained flat, posted declines in the demand for design services. The West region was particularly impacted, the AIA noted. The multifamily sector’s declines also offered a continuation of a trend that began in August of 2022.

"The September ABI score reflects a marked downturn in business conditions at architecture firms, with the sharpest decline observed since the peak of the pandemic," said Kermit Baker, PhD, AIA Chief Economist. "While more firms are reporting a decrease in billings, the report also shows the hesita...

Large increase in all-electric and net-zero energy projects among AIA 2030 Commitment signatories, report says

2023-09-29T11:43:00-04:00

All-electric building projects have increased by more than 130% since 2020, according to new data from the American Institute of Architects. The figure is one of several findings from the latest AIA By The Numbers report which provides a detailed analysis of the energy performance of architecture and design firm signatories to the AIA 2030 Commitment.

428 companies reported data as part of the survey, with 23,276 projects reported from 107 countries. In addition, 168 new firms signed the 2030 Commitment in 2022, bringing the total number of signatories to over 1,200. By contrast, the community held 170 signatories and 56 reporting firms in 2010.

Related on Archinect: AIA 2030 signatories making progress on commitment to reduce energy use. Image credit: Mike Schwartz

In the latest outline, firms reported 707 all-electric buildings last year, totaling 80.1 million ground square feet, representing a 134% increase on projects registered in 2020. 346 net-zero energy projects were reported...

Jesse Lazar announced as new permanent AIA New York and Center for Architecture Executive Director

2023-09-26T16:59:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects New York (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture (CFA) have just announced the appointment of Jesse Lazar as the new permanent Executive Director of both organizations, filling a void left by Benjamin Prosky after his departure this February.

Lazar had been serving in an Interim Executive Director role since that time and comes to the position with experience as the CFA's Development Director between 2014 and 2016. He has been instrumental in fundraising more than $20 million for both organizations since that time while also working to establish AIANY’s 2030 Fund, CFA Lab program, and other initiatives. Lazar also has previous experience with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and received his MBA from the University of Michigan in 2012.

“I’ve worked with Jesse Lazar on and off at the Center for Architecture since 2008,” AIA New York’s 2023 President Matthew Bremer said in a statement. “I also have the mindset that instit...

August’s Architecture Billings Index drops slightly, driven by declines in multifamily and institutional contracts

2023-09-20T12:42:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects' latest Architecture Billings Index for August has recorded a slight decrease to a score of 48.1 (any score above 50 indicates an increase), marking the eleventh month of consecutively flat figures for firms following a period of growth between 2021 and mid-2022.

The value of new design contracts also dropped for the first time since April. The multifamily market maintained its relatively poor performance, with the institutional sector likewise recording a decline. Firms specializing in commercial/industrial projects, however, reported increases for the third month in a row.

“Business conditions at architecture firms continue to be sluggish,” Kermit Baker, the AIA’s Chief Economist, said in a statement. “New project work coming into architecture firms as well ongoing project activity remain stalled in a relatively narrow range and exhibit very little month-to-month variation. Though this pause has taken pressure off tight staffing conditions acr...

AIA Los Angeles pens open letter to 2028 Olympics & Paralympics organizers

2023-09-11T18:43:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles (AIA|LA) has released an open letter sent to organizers of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on behalf of its members, encouraging their strategizing with the chapter toward outcomes they say will be a “big win” for multiple stakeholders in the community.

The text states the need for LA28 to consider the importance of placemaking and the games’ eventual aftermath, calling on organizers as a whole to work together on a progressive design agenda that benefits all while enshrining the region’s diversity and enhancing the events’ sustainable footprint.

Focusing on four key areas, the chapter’s letter calls for:

Engage with the AIA and the architecture & design community.
Consider the expansion of LA28’s legacy mission.
Expand partnerships with community stakeholders and leverage their resources to advance projects already in the Los Angeles pipeline.
Increase participation opportunities in the Games planning process and be a leader in in...

Quality-of-life benefits increasing in architecture firms, but compensation lags behind inflation, says AIA report

2023-08-30T13:51:00-04:00

The AIA has released what it describes as its “most comprehensive report on architecture firm compensation and benefits trends in 15 years.” The 2023 edition of the AIA Compensation & Benefits Report includes an analysis of how firms have addressed rising inflation, staff shortages, increased financial pressure, and the impact of such pressures on recruitment and retention.

The report found there to be a rise in “quality-of-life benefits” at firms, particularly casual dressing policies, child-friendly and pet-friendly offices, flexible work hours, work-from-home opportunities, and adopting Juneteenth as a paid holiday. 57% of firms also reported hiring students for part-time work in 2022, an increase from 35% in 2020.

A greater emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion was noted at firms, with 73% of large firms reporting having internal values-based employee committees and resource groups. 66% of large firms also conducted salary assessments by gender in 2022, and 62% by race.

...

July's Architecture Billings Index figures stabilize for the third month in a row

2023-08-23T18:20:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects has just released its Architecture Billings Index for the month of July, highlighting further stability in the demand for design services for the third month in a row.

The index score was recorded at 50.0, indicating a flat figure (anything above 50.0 is considered an increase) that follows June’s total of 50.1. The score reflects an increased demand from firms specializing in commercial/industrial projects, which helps bolster the index against declines that were recorded across the residential sector.

“This is the third straight month that billings at architecture firms have stabilized,” the AIA’s Chief Economist Kermit Baker said. “New project work has been even stronger over this period. This suggests that design work may finally begin to increase over the coming months, although somewhat modestly.”

July ABI Highlights

Regional averages: Midwest (51.6); West (49.6); Northeast (49.3); South (48.9)
Sector index breakdown: commercial/industrial (...

AIA calls for donations in wake of Hawaiian wildfires

2023-08-16T11:51:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is soliciting a call for donations in response to the devastating wildfires that have claimed more than 100 lives and damaged countless structures in Maui.

The AIA shares: "The AIA family is deeply saddened by these recent wildfires and is working in close coordination with AIA Hawaii as recovery efforts get underway. Our 97,000 members and extensive resources are being activated to support Hawaii’s health, safety, and welfare in the weeks, months, and years ahead. AIA’s past experience with disasters of this magnitude tells us that the recovery process is a long, arduous road that architects can, and must help navigate, to make communities whole once again. We cannot bring back what has been lost, but together we can help find a new way forward."

This summer has seen a spate of natural disasters across the West, including the record heatwaves in Arizona and other wildfires in Colorado and the Mojave Desert. The concerted effort of archite...

AIA announces $20 billion in grant funding made available for adaptive reuse and decarbonization projects

2023-08-01T11:22:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects has announced that nearly $20 billion of the $27 billion allocated by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) under the Inflation Reduction Act has been released by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA has introduced two funding opportunities: the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) and the $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA), targeted at decarbonization projects and adaptive reuse projects.

Described by AIA as a “pivotal sustainability strategy,” the grant funding is available for nonprofits that meet the recipient criteria noted in Section 134(c)(1) of the Clean Air Act, with an application submission deadline of October 12, 2023.

"It is essential that we prioritize investments in existing buildings that will reduce emissions while also creating jobs, promoting health equity and supporting vulner...

AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker looks into the financial headwinds and construction activity for the remainder of 2023

2023-07-27T19:27:00-04:00

The report that we just released is showing spending for the year up 20%. So, we’ve obviously seen a much stronger first half of the year than was anticipated. And that’s reflected in the current projection for 2023 as a whole. Since we’ve seen such a strong first half, the consensus is not for more acceleration in the second half. The consensus seems to be that strength is behind us and we’ll begin to moderate as we move into the second half of the year.

Baker predicts institutional construction will remain strong for the rest of this year, bolstered mainly by healthcare. Other sectors he expects to see a rebound include hospitality, K-12, and warehouses, albeit at a dampened pace for the third. He also mentions the new AIA Consensus Construction Forecast predicting a slight (1.7%) contraction in spending for 2024, along with another slight acceleration in institutional, and says both are likely to be exacerbated by the combined effects of inflation and other cost-related factors.

Explore related AEC economic news reported in June and July on Archinect below:

Nonresidential construction spending to surge 20% by end of 2023, says AIA

2023-07-20T14:50:00-04:00

Spending on nonresidential building construction is expected to grow in late 2023 and beyond, according to the AIA’s latest Consensus Construction Forecast. The analysis projects that spending on nonresidential buildings will increase by almost 20% this year, a pace not seen since before the 2008 financial crash. The pace will however slow to 2% in 2024.

“The forecast for nonresidential construction activity remains healthy through the second half of 2023 and into 2024,” says AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. “The industry got off to an extremely strong start in the first half of the year, and that momentum will ensure healthy gains for the year before moving to a much more moderate pace of expansion in 2024.”

Extract from the AIA's latest Consensus Construction Forecast. The interactive data is available to view here.

According to the analysis, the heaviest increase in construction spending will be in the industrial sector, where spending will increase more than 55% over 2022 levels...

Stable demand for architecture services in June, says AIA Architecture Billings Index

2023-07-20T11:23:00-04:00

The latest billings data from the American Institute of Architects has found there to be a stable demand for design services across June 2023. The latest figures represent the first time since Fall 2022 that billings remained in positive growth for two consecutive months, indicating that design activity is continuing to slowly recover from turbulent economic conditions.

According to the latest Architecture Billings Index from June, the billings score was 50.1, down marginally from 51.0 in May (a score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). Inquiries into new projects continued to post a positive score of 56.7, though down from May’s 57.2, while new design contracts edged upward to 52.7 in June from 52.3 in May.

June ABI Highlights

Regional averages: Midwest (52.4); Northeast (50.6); South (50.5); West (48.6)
Sector index breakdown: institutional (55.4); mixed practice (firms that do not have at least half of their billings in any one other category) (48.8); commercial/industria...

AIA issues statements on Supreme Court’s affirmative action and student loans rulings

2023-07-06T13:42:00-04:00

Last month’s disappointing Supreme Court decisions in the cases regarding student loan forgiveness and affirmative action have prompted a response from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in unison with other leading industry groups, including the AIAS, ACSA, and NOMA.

The former comes just months after the AIA published a study indicating that (as many already knew) student loans disproportionately burden both women and borrowers from traditionally underrepresented groups, respectively.

“The AIA believes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging enriches not only architects and design professionals but also the entire world through the built environment they design,” part of the AIA statement on student loans reads. “Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public is vital to the role that architects play in shaping our collective future. The AIA is committed to supporting a diverse profession that reflects the communities being served. Thus, equitable access to ...

Rebound in demand for design services in May, says AIA Architecture Billings Index

2023-06-21T14:43:00-04:00

The latest billings data from the American Institute of Architects has found there to be a rebound in the demand for design services across May 2023. The index score in May was the highest it has been since September 2022, while inquiries into new projects and design contracts reached their highest levels since February.

According to the latest Architecture Billings Index from May, the billings score was 51.0, up from 48.5 in April (a score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). Inquiries into new projects continued to post a positive score of 57.2, up from April’s 53.9, while new design contracts entered positive territory with a score of 52.3, up from 49.8 in April.

May ABI Highlights

Regional averages: South (52.3); Midwest (49.6); Northeast (48.7); West (47.7)
Sector index breakdown: institutional (53.4); mixed practice (firms that do not have at least half of their billings in any one other category) (52.7); commercial/industrial (47.5); multi-family residential (43.0)

"The...