March 29, 2010—Business conditions at U.S. architecture firms showed modest improvement in February as the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) moved up more than two points to a reading of 44.8. Still, the index remains below the 50 threshold, with firm billings continuing to decline as they have every month for more than two years. However, some signs indicate that certain sectors served by architects may be seeing early signs of a spring thaw.

The emerging positive signs in design activity are a reflection of significant improvement in the broader economy, says AIA. Building projects, particularly in the commercial and industrial sectors, were not a focus of the federal stimulus program, and architecture firms have seen only marginal benefit from this program.

As of February, about 22 percent of all architecture firms report having received funding for projects under this program (including firms that have completed projects or that only have inactive projects), while an additional 17 percent of firms that have received inquiries but haven’t had funded projects.

This share has been growing as project funds have been dispensed. In April of 2009, shortly after the program began, just fewer than 12 percent of architecture firms reported active projects funded through the federal stimulus program.

To date, stimulus projects administered by state and local governments outnumber those administered by the federal government by almost 2 to 1. Still, architecture firms report that federal buildings are the most common type of facility that they have worked on under the stimulus program, followed by assisted housing modernization, energy/weatherization retrofits, schools, and local government buildings (e.g. fire stations, libraries, justice facilities).

For more information, visit the AIA Web site.