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As Archinect has explored through numerous feature articles, the U.S. architecture profession faces deep ongoing challenges surrounding salaries, fee levels, and work-life balances. In a sign that such conditions are not confined to the U.S., recent years have seen architectural worker movements... View full entry
In a new Dodge Construction Network report, total construction starts rose 4% in May to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $979.5 billion. Nonresidential building starts rose 20%, while residential and nonbuilding starts declined 4% and 2%, respectively. In the first five months of... View full entry
The American Institute of Architects’ latest economic data shows that May was the sixteenth consecutive month of growing demand for design services across the U.S. The Architecture Billings Index for May, which uses feedback from architecture firms, finished at a score of 53.5. While down on... View full entry
A new poll conducted by the National Association of Home Builders shows builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes is at its lowest level after six straight months of decline.
The poll measures builder perceptions of current and future single-family home sales, and the traffic of prospective buyers. All three categories posted declines in the latest monthly data with buyer traffic falling most sharply, a sign that homebuyers — especially first-time ones — are giving up.
— NPR
The now-familiar cocktail of increasingly higher interest rates and home prices is once again causing headaches for contractors looking to fill America’s shortage of 4 million homes. The NAHB has been pushing the Biden Administration to take action on the supply-side of the problem since last... View full entry
A major increase in hourly wages has not stopped a record number of unfilled positions in the construction industry, according to a new analysis by the Association of General Contractors of America (AGC). While 36,000 employees were added to the construction industry last month, 494,000 open... View full entry
The Dodge Momentum Index rose 7% in May to 176.2, up from the revised April reading of 165.2. The institutional component of the Index rose 9% and commercial planning rose 6%. May’s increase pushed the level of planning above the most recent cyclical high set in November 2021. Last month... View full entry
It’s been a rough couple of years for timber. As we have previously reported, lumber prices across the United States saw a 90% increase in May 2021 on the previous 12 months, adding an extra $36,000 onto the cost of constructing a new home. In a relief for clients and contractors alike, that... View full entry
The latest economic data issued by the American Institute of Architects confirm the fifteenth consecutive month of growing demand in design services as reported by architecture firms across the U.S. The Architecture Billings Index for April moderated slightly to a score of 56.5 from a near-record... View full entry
Total construction starts rebounded in April according to a new Dodge Construction Network study, rising 3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $945.8 billion. Nonresidential building starts rose 6% and residential starts increased by 4%, while nonbuilding starts decreased by 4%. Compared to... View full entry
When a recession hits, architects often take it in the gut. The design sector has traditionally been one of the losers of a market downturn, with big real estate developments being put on hold and the need for architectural design services kicked down the road. But during the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, architecture has been surprisingly robust. — Fast Company
According to the 2022 Otis College Report on the Creative Economy, an annual report by Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles that tracks the economic health of creative industries in California, architecture has been the most resilient sector. This is compared to creative goods and... View full entry
The Dodge Momentum Index continues to rise, with a 6% increase in April, taking it to 164.8, up from the revised March reading of 155. Commercial planning rose 9%, while institutional planning moved 2% higher. This gain in April has moved the Dodge Momentum Index just 5% short of the all-time high... View full entry
In a new Dodge Construction Network report, total construction starts fell 12% in March to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $903.8 billion following a strong February. The decline, in which nonresidential building starts fell 29%, is in part due to the start of three large manufacturing... View full entry
The American Institute of Architects released new economic data this morning, indicating a significant increase in the demand for design services in March. The latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score rose to 58.0, up sharply from a score of 51.3 in February. The March scores for both... View full entry
The residential housing market continued its remarkable ascension in March, according to a market report published this week by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The report indicates some more positive news for the industry in the face of several... View full entry
The Dodge Momentum Index moved up another 4% in March to 166.9 from the revised February reading of 160.3. Last month, commercial planning rose 7%, while institutional planning fell by less than one percent. Commercial planning in March was just slightly lower than the all-time high set in... View full entry
