flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
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.

 

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 

Related Stories

| Apr 12, 2011

Rutgers students offered choice of food and dining facilities

The Livingston Dining Commons at Rutgers University’s Livingston Campus in New Brunswick, N.J., was designed by Biber Partnership, Summit, N.J., to offer three different dining rooms that connect to a central servery.

| Apr 12, 2011

Retail complex enjoys prime Abu Dhabi location

The Galleria at Sowwah Square in Abu Dhabi will be built in a prime location within Sowwah Island that also includes a five-star Four Seasons Hotel, the healthcare facility Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and nearly two million sf of Class A office space.

| Apr 12, 2011

Luxury New York high rise adjacent to the High Line

Located adjacent to New York City’s High Line Park, 500 West 23rd Street will offer 111 luxury rental apartments when it opens later this year.

| Apr 12, 2011

College of New Jersey facility will teach teachers how to teach

The College of New Jersey broke ground on its 79,000-sf School of Education building in Ewing, N.J.

| Apr 12, 2011

Mental hospital in Boston redeveloped as healthcare complex

An abandoned state mental health facility in Boston’s prestigious Longwood Medical Area is being transformed into the Mass Mental Health Center, a four-building mixed-use complex that includes a mental health day hospital, a clinical and office building, a medical research facility for Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and a residential facility.

| Apr 12, 2011

Miami courthouse design does justice to children and the environment

Suffolk Construction broke ground recently for the Miami-Dade County Children’s Courthouse, a $328 million project the firm has a 30-month contract to complete.

| Apr 12, 2011

Long-awaited San Francisco center is music to jazz organization’s ears

After 28 years, SFJAZZ is getting its first permanent home. The San Francisco-based nonprofit, which is dedicated to advancing the art of jazz through concerts and educational programs, contracted local design firm Mark Cavagnero Associates and general contractor Hathaway Dinwiddie to create a modern performance center in the city’s Hayes Valley neighborhood

| Apr 12, 2011

Entrance pavilion adds subtle style to Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

A $13 million gift from the Otis Booth Foundation is funding a new entrance pavilion at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. CO Architects, Los Angeles, is designing the frameless structure with an energy-efficient curtain wall, vertical suspension rods, and horizontal knife plates to make it as transparent as possible.

| Apr 12, 2011

BIM Grows Up: Separating Hype from Reality in a 3D World

While BIM adoption still lags in both design and construction, some enterprising owners, architects, and contractors are unlocking the potential of this dynamic technology.

| Apr 12, 2011

Metal cladding: Enhancing design with single-skin panels, MCMs, and IMPs

Single-skin metal panels, metal composite panels, and insulated metal panels can add both aesthetic and functional value to your projects, if you use them correctly.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


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.



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.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021