as a contributor to the aia's monthly Architectural Billings Index, it's always interesting to see how this indicator pans out. for August, apparently, it was pretty well - it's the first time in a while since we've crossed the Mendoza line (a number above 50). 

if you're looking to this to help gauge where to look for work, this month's survey offers the following:

"With a score of 51.2, firms in the West reported their first monthly increase in billings in five years, offering the possibility that firms in this region may finally be working their way out of the downturn. Conversely, firms in the Northeast and Midwest reported weak conditions in August, after reporting generally positive conditions over the past year. Also, firms specializing in the institutional sector reported only their third monthly increase in the past 18 months. Residential firms saw healthy gains, providing further evidence that the residential construction sector is in recovery while commercial/industrial firms reported their fourth straight monthly decline."

all quotes are from their email to the survey participants, which was sent out this morning. when a link to the full press release happens, we'll post that.