The American Institute of Architects’ latest data show that the Architectural Billings Index decreased slightly from 53.5 in May to 53.2 in June, still above the benchmark of 50 (scores over 50 indicate an increase in firm billings). New inquiries and design contracts went down from the previous month, from 63.9 to 58.2 and 56.9 to 52.2, respectively.

According to AIA chief economist Kermit Baker, "Ongoing project activity at architecture firms as well as new work coming online remains strong, pushing project backlogs up to seven months on average nationally." However, he noted, "In spite of heavy workloads, employment at architecture firms has stabilized, suggesting that adding new employees is becoming even more challenging as the building construction sector continues to recover."