Architecture Billings Are Still Declining, But Slower Than Earlier in the Pandemic A critical economic bellwether is showing tentative signs of recovery. March 2, 2021, 5am PST | James Brasuell | The American Institute of Architects' latest Architecture Billings Index shows a slight improvement in business conditions, although work is still slowing. The report is considered a bellwether for built environment professions, including planning, as well as the larger economy. An article published by Building Enclosure provides insight into the report's findings, which updates data through the first month of 2021: "AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for January was 44.9* compared to 42.3 in December (any score below 50 indicates a decline in firm billings). Last month’s score indicates overall revenue at U.S architecture firms continued to decline from December to January, however, the pace of decline slowed."