The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index dipped slightly below 50 for November. The November AIA/Deltek ABI score of 49.6 changed little from October’s score of 50.3, indicating that the share of architecture firms that reported declining billings was essentially the same as the share that reported increasing billings. Any score below 50 indicates decreasing business conditions, but there are encouraging signs of the pipeline.
The return of billings to a stable level after nearly two years of decline signals potential improvement across the industry. Additionally, inquiries into new projects are steadily increasing, demonstrating sustained interest in future work opportunities. However, newly signed design contracts have experienced an eighth consecutive month of decline, suggesting that a more robust upturn in design activity is still distant.
Key ABI highlights for November include:
- Regional averages: West (54.3); South (50); Midwest (48.1); Northeast (46.9)
- Sector index breakdown: multifamily 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
The regional and sector categories are calculated as three-month moving averages and may not always average out to the national score.
Visit aia.org for detailed information about this, and past billing index reports.
