HORIZONTV FEATURING BD+C: WATCH EPISODES ON DEMAND AT HORIZONTV

𝕏

Currently Reading

ABI turns positive after four monthly declines

ABI turns positive after four monthly declines

By By BD+C Staff | September 23, 2011

On the heels of a period of weakness in design activity, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) took a sudden upturn in August.

Continue Reading

On the heels of a period of weakness in design activity, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) took a sudden upturn in August. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the August ABI score was 51.4, following a very weak score of 45.1 in July. This score reflects an increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 56.9, up sharply from a reading of 53.7 the previous month.

"Based on the poor economic conditions over the last several months, this turnaround in demand for design services is a surprise," said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. "Many firms are still struggling, and continue to report that clients are having difficulty getting financing for viable projects, but it's possible we've reached the bottom of the down cycle."

Key August ABI highlights:

Regional averages: Midwest (49.0), South (47.4), West (47.4), Northeast (46.5)
Sector index breakdown: mixed practice (50.9), institutional (48.5), commercial / industrial (46.0), multi-family residential (44.8)
Project inquiries index: 56.9 BD+C

Tags

Related Stories

| Jun 13, 2012

Free webinar on Designing and Building Green Schools scheduled for June 20

USGBC Center for Green Schools and other experts to present practical tips.

A grand prize winner will be selected from each of GAFs five sales areas, so ea

| Jun 13, 2012

GAF’s Roving Truck promotion coming to your town soon

Professional roofing contractors or builders/remodelers in the U.S. can enter to win a Ford F-150 truck.

McCormick Place is the biggest convention center in the country, in large part b

| Jun 13, 2012

Is it time to stop building convention centers?

Over the last 20 years, convention space in the United States has increased by 50%; since 2005, 44 new convention spaces have been planned or constructed in this country alone.

| Jun 13, 2012

Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute to hold energy asset conference for property owners, senior real estate managers

Top-level real estate professionals have been ignored as the industry has pushed to get sustainability measures in place.

LEO A DALYs design for the headquarters reflects SACs close culture, collabora

| Jun 12, 2012

SAC Federal Credit Union selects LEO A DALY to design corporate headquarters

LEO A DALY also provided site selection, programming and master planning services for the project over the past year.

Restoration Millwork trim is made with a long-lasting, low-maintenance material

| Jun 12, 2012

Restoration Millwork exterior trim achieves GreenCircle certification

Made from cellular polyvinyl chloride, the full line of Restoration Millwork trim, beadboard and accessories is engineered to look, feel and work like top-grade lumber.

Christopher Pich

| Jun 12, 2012

Piché joins C.W. Driver as director of business development

Piché will expand upon project opportunities for firm’s Southern California operations.

| Jun 12, 2012

BCA Architects transforms Anaheim schools into dynamic learning environments

BCA Architects was selected to update the district's long-range master plan.

| Jun 11, 2012

Survey reveals emerging trends in parking

Industry-transforming innovations are changing the way we park.

| Jun 11, 2012

Buro Hapold hires new principal Neil Porto

Porto brings a broad depth of expertise in civil and structural engineering to new and existing projects.

Top Articles

MFPRO+ New Projects

BIG’s One High Line finally reaches completion in New York City’s West Chelsea neighborhood

Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Building Enclosure Systems

Winners of Building Envelope Innovation Prize focus on secondary glazing

More In Category

MFPRO+ New Projects

BIG’s One High Line finally reaches completion in New York City’s West Chelsea neighborhood

One High Line, a luxury residential project spanning a full city block in New York’s West Chelsea neighborhood, reached completion this summer following years of delays related to investor lawsuits.

Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.

MFPRO+ New Projects

Luxury waterfront tower in Brooklyn features East River and Manhattan skyline views

Leasing recently began for The Dupont, a 41-story luxury rental property along the Brooklyn, N.Y., waterfront. Located within the 22-acre Greenpoint Landing, where it overlooks the newly constructed Newtown Barge Park, the high-rise features East River and Manhattan skyline views along with 20,000 sf of indoor and outdoor communal space.

Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

Most Popular Content