Architecture firm billings continue to creep upward in the new year, as the American Institute of Architects' billings index reached a score of 50.7 in February, according to a March 21 report. Index scores higher than 50 indicate billings growth.

Slightly more architectural firms reported better conditions in February, as the AIA's Architectural Billings Index (ABI) grew from a score of 50.4 in January to 50.7 in February. Improvements remain sluggish, however, despite three consecutive months of growth after the index hit a trough in December. Inquiries into new work also increased in February, as did the value of newly signed design contracts, following a minimal decline in the value of new design contracts in January.

Business conditions by firm specialization also remained about the same in February as in January, as architecture firms with a residential specialization reporting the strongest growth, with an index score of 52.5. Firms with a commercial/industrial specialization followed with a score of 51.9, the third consecutive month of growth. Firms with an institutional specialization continued to report declining firm billings, scoring a 49.6 on the index, but the pace of the decline has slowed over the last two months, and it seems likely that billings will begin increasing in this sector in the near future.

On a regional basis, conditions remained essentially the same in February as they have for the last four months. Architecture firms located in the Northeast and Midwest experienced declining billings, while firms located in the South and West saw increases. The pace of the decline slowed slightly in both the Northeast and Midwest last month, and optimism that conditions will improve with the arrival of spring weather continues to run high.