MONTHLY AIA SURVEY RESULTS: ARCHITECTURE FIRMS SEE DIP IN BILLINGS FOR JULY 2003. Unexpected Drop Comes as Surprise Following Four Months of Steady Growth.

American Institute of Architects (AIA) released today the results of its Work-on-the-Boards (WOTB), a monthly survey that provides an up-to-date snapshot of what is happening in the architecture and construction industries. WOTB lends additional perspective to traditional analysis of the construction market and provides alternative data for use as economic indicators both nationally and regionally.

MONTHLY AIA SURVEY RESULTS: ARCHITECTURE FIRMS SEE DIP IN BILLINGS FOR JULY 2003. Unexpected Drop Comes as Surprise Following Four Months of Steady Growth.

WASHINGTON D.C. (PRWEB) August 18, 2003 -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) released today the results of its Work-on-the-Boards (WOTB), a monthly survey that provides an up-to-date snapshot of what is happening in the architecture and construction industries. WOTB lends additional perspective to traditional analysis of the construction market and provides alternative data for use as economic indicators both nationally and regionally.

For the August Work-on-the-Boards survey results analyzed by the AIA's Chief Economist Kermit Baker, please paste this link into your browser:

http://www.aia.org/ecomark/tw0815/0815_otb_busslips.htm

Highlights:

Billings at architecture firms took a dip in July, quite unexpectedly because they had been exhibiting steady growth for each of the prior four months.

Firms in the Northeast and West bore all of the downturn in activity; firms in the other two regions continued to show gains.

A good end for 2003: In spite of a significant slowdown in July, firms remain optimistic about business conditions for the remainder of the year.

Monday, August 18, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) (www.nahb.org) will release the Housing Market Index (HMI), an index that takes the pulse of the housing industry. On Tuesday, August 19, the Commerce Department will release its housing starts report.

Kermit Baker, PhD, the AIA's chief economist, is available for interviews to provide in-depth commentary on these related Department of Commerce and NAHB announcements, as are local expert sources for additional perspective on trends that are affecting your market or region. Please do not hesitate to contact the AIA for supplemental commentary on what the WOTB findings indicate about the state of the profession, as well as the economy.
To schedule interviews please contact:

Cara L. Battaglini
Media Relations Specialist
The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.626.7462
carab@aia.org