AIA index: US misery continues

The Architecture Billings Index posted a reading of 45.9 for June 2012, where anything below 50 represents a decline in workloads from the previous month.

All regions and sectors saw a drop in activity as the misery continued for practices across the Atlantic.

The West suffered the biggest fall with a reading of 44.3, while the Northeast posted 46.4, the South 47.6 and the Midwest 48.0.

Multi-family residential recorded 49.0, commercial/industrial 46.9, institutional 46.0 and mixed practice 45.9.

Only the new projects inquiry index offered a ray of hope with a score of 54.4; although this was only slightly up from 54.0 in May.

The American Institute of Architects polls member-owned firms to produce the Billings Index.

AIA chief economist Kermit Baker said: ‘The downturn in design activity that began in April and accelerated in May has continued into June, likely extending the weak market conditions we’ve seen in non-residential building activity.

‘While not all firms are experiencing negative conditions, a large share are still coping with a sluggish and erratic marketplace.’ ENDS

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