Design projects involving the renovation, rehabilitation, extension, or preservation of existing buildings account for 48% of billings at U.S. architecture firms according to an AIA survey. The findings, which form part of the 2022 AIA Firm Survey: The Business of Architecture, continues a trend which last year saw architects earn more from renovations than from new builds for the first time.

Institutional projects yielded the largest share of billings for firms in 2021 according to the survey, at 43%. The share of billings from residential projects also increased significantly, from 18% in 2018 to 28% in 2021.  

The survey also offered an insight into the structure and workflows behind U.S. firms. The share of multidisciplinary firms has continued to increase, now sitting at 44% having risen from 27% in 2002 and 36% in 2011. Meanwhile, 29% of firm reported that providing services to underserved communities was a core mission of theirs, while 10% of projects in firms were for schemes that served underserved communities.

60% of large firms reported having a sustainability or climate action plan, in contrast to 21% of midsize firms and 9% of small firms. The use of BIM software across all firm sizes has also increased, and is now nearly universal among midsize and large firms. In small firms, meanwhile, 52% of firms report using BIM on billable projects, up from 37% in 2019.

The report also signals that larger firms are continuing to soak up more of the market share of professionals, with firms of 50+ employees now accounting for more than half of those employed in private practice.

The report is one of several recently released by the AIA. Earlier this week, the institute released their Guides for Equitable Practice, Equity in Architectural Education guide in collaboration with the ACSA, while in October, the AIA 2030 Commitment By the Numbers report was released, documenting the profession’s progress towards carbon-neutral buildings.

Also in October, new data from the AIA’s Architecture Billings Index indicated an increase in the demand for design services for the 20th consecutive month.