The latest AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) for November has recorded a second consecutive flat reading. The slight decrease to 49.6 indicates a near-equal balance between the number of firms experiencing a decrease in billings versus those seeing increases. Inquiries into new work continued to grow, while the value of newly signed design contracts declined for the eighth month in a row.

"Given the extended weakness in business conditions at architecture firms, increasing firm profitability remains the top concern for 2025, with one-third of firm leaders selecting it as a major issue—the highest since 2017," Kermit Baker, the AIA's Chief Economist, said in a statement.

"Negotiating appropriate project fees ranked second, chosen by 21 percent, while 20 percent identified finding new clients and markets or improving business planning and marketing as a top concern, up from 18 percent last year," his statement continued. 

• Regional averages: West (54.3); South (50.0); Midwest (48.1); Northeast (46.9)
• Sector index breakdown: multi-family residential (50.8); institutional (50.6); commercial/industrial (49.4); mixed practice (firms that do not have at least half of their billings in any one other category) (48.5)
• Project inquiries index: 54.1
• Design contracts index: 48.3

You can read more about the recent encouraging economic signs for the industry in the sixth installment of our State of AEC series.

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