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Although conditions have improved in the broader economy, September marked the 20th consecutive month of declining billings for architecture firms. The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) reported a score of 45.7 (any score below 50.0 indicates decreasing business conditions), the same score as the previous month.

September ABI 2024

Image courtesy American Institute of Architects/Deltek

“Despite recent rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, many clients remain on the sidelines with regard to proceeding on planned projects,” said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker. "And while new project opportunities also emerge, clients are cautious about which to pursue. Fortunately, architecture firms report backlogs of 6.4 months on average, which remain above pre-pandemic levels and are an indication that there is existing work in the pipeline.”

September ABI 2024

Image courtesy American Institute of Architects/Deltek

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