The latest data from the American Institute of Architects shows that the ABI's pace of growth has slowed slightly from 58.5 in May to 57.1 in June. (A score below 50 indicates decreasing billings.) Design inquiries continue to climb, up from 69.2 to 71.8, while the pace of contracts growth eased slightly from 63.2 in May to 58.9 in June.

“With the current pace of billings growth near the highest levels ever seen in the history of the index, we’re expecting a sharp upturn in nonresidential building activity later this year and into 2022,” said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker. “However, as is often the case when market conditions make a sudden reversal, concerns are growing about architecture firms not being able to find enough workers to meet the higher workloads. Nearly six in 10 firms report that they are having problems filling open architectural staff positions.”