April was another strong month, as reported by the American Institute of Architects, with the highest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score since pre-Great Recession times at 57.9, up from 55.6 in March. (A score below 50 indicates decreasing billings.) All-time highs were also reported for new inquiries at 70.8, growing steadily as well from 66.9 last month.

"This recent acceleration in the demand for design services demonstrates that both consumers and businesses are feeling much more confident about the economic outlook,” said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker in a statement. “The pent-up demand for new and retrofitted facilities is keeping architecture firms in all regions and building sectors busy.”