kiplinger connection
The Dollar • The Economy • Energy
The Dollar: U.S. profligate imports make dollar weak, our international position strong.
The Economy: Yet Asia’s bolstering of the dollar weakens U.S. long-term strength.
Energy: Gas prices will ease soon.

WORK-ON-THE-BOARDS
Business Conditions Hold Steady in April
Life-cycle cost savings are top green motivators
Research Consultant Jennifer Riskus reports that business conditions at architecture firms held steady in April, with all regions except the Northeast showing continued growth, according to participants in the AIA’s monthly Work-on-the-Boards Survey. Strongest growth by sector is found in firms with a commercial/industrial and institutional specialization. In response to this month’s special question, almost three quarters of survey respondents say they recently worked on green/sustainable projects, and their clients’ decision to incorporate those features is mostly motivated by cost savings over the life cycle of the building.

AIA Offers 2007 Documents Webinar
AIA Contract Documents Invites you to join your colleagues for a Web seminar, AIA 2007 Documents: Owner/Architect Agreements, on June 19 from 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. ET. This program will give experienced practitioners an insight into the AIA’s revision process as well as a chance to preview the 2007 Owner-Architect agreements. The program will prepare participants to select the appropriate AIA agreement for each particular project, and evaluate the suitability of alternative contract terms and language.