WORK-ON-THE-BOARDS
Billings, Still in the Negative Column, Inch Up a Bit
Firms anticipate little improvement for the rest of the year
The AIA’s Architectural Billings Index (ABI) remained below 50 for the fifth month in a row in June, indicating that more survey respondents saw a decrease in billings than saw an increase, reports Jennifer Riskus, manager, Economics Research. Better news is that the inquiries-for-new-business score rose back above 50. Regionally, conditions are improving in the Midwest, although they are weakening in the West. Considering building type specialties, firms with an institutional specialization continue to report billings growth. Firms with institutional specialization predict a brighter near-term outlook than other firms: Nearly two-thirds of firms with projects in the institutional sector anticipate that activity in that sector will either improve or remain the same through the end of 2008; while nearly half of all panelists expect business conditions to decline in the second half of the year, as compared to the second half of 2007.

Second “Greenstep” Video Now Available for Architects and their Clients
Two-minute programs augment the Institute’s Walk the Walk campaign
This week, the AIA launched the second of 12 short video episodes for architects to share with clients who want to plan a new building or renovate an existing one using green building principles. Clients can use the second video to explore how “Smart Controls” in buildings and their systems can save energy and money. [The first video is on water conservation.] Greenstep is the new aspect of the AIA’s “Walk the Walk” marketing campaign to help clients and the public learn more about sustainable design elements and how architects are providing energy-efficient solutions to help lower our collective and individual carbon footprints. The video series resides on the “Walk the Walk” Web site, and new videos will appear biweekly. Check it out and share with your clients.

kiplinger connection
Stock Market • The Economy • Business Costs
Stock Market: Stocks are low, time to buy. Here are tips.
The Economy: Legislators continue to struggle to find a fix.
Business Costs: As commodities prices ease, so do materials.

Taking Care of Business
Letters to the Editor
This week, we have letters about our article on “Copyright or Copy Wrong,” The AIA Construction Consensus Forecast, the Miesian Ten Museum Park in Miami, and a rather lengthy missive refuting the outcomes of global warming.