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Commercial construction demand, down

By: Myles, April 24th, 2008

In a sign of things to come, the Baltimore Business Journal’s Tierney Plumb just posted some sombering news …

The forecast for commercial construction this year looks bleak, according to the latest survey from the American Institute of Architects. The Washington, D.C.-based group’s monthly survey gives a glimpse into the future of nonresidential construction activity by showing a nine to 12 month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending, as indicated by an Architecture Billings Index.

A healthy score of 50 indicates an increase in billings.     

Inquiries for new projects was scored at 48 last month, also the lowest mark for the survey.  

This year’s index dropped by 11 points at the quarter’s end to 39.7– its lowest level since the survey began in 1995.  

A healthy score of 50 indicates an increase in billings.    

  • The Midwest reported the lowest score at 36.9.
  • The South had the highest at 45.3.  
  • The Northeast and West tied at 38.7.

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