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Economic Update Q1 2026 ABI Insights

AIAU26-ECON01
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1 LU
Live course date: 02/19/2026 | 02:00 PM
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Description

Thursday, February 19, 2026  |  2-3pm ET

Join AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, and AIA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Carole Wedge, FAIA,  for our quarterly conversation about the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The ABI is a leading monthly economic indicator that uses proprietary AIA data to predict nonresidential construction activity 9–12 months ahead. Get ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities and inform your strategic planning with key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends.

Learning Objectives

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Develop a better understanding of forces shaping our economy.

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Describe the latest economic conditions and what they mean for architectural practice.

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Discuss what the ABI can tell architecture firms about business conditions over the coming year and make decisions.

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Examine strategic issues impacting the architectural and construction industry.

This free live course is brought to you through a partnership with Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. By registering for this course, you grant AIA permission to share your name and email address with Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. 

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Instructors
Kermit Baker
Ph.D., Hon. AIA

Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA is a Senior Research Fellow at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, and is the Project Director of the Remodeling Futures Program. This research effort, which began in 1995, is the first comprehensive analysis of U.S. remodeling activity ever undertaken by the Joint Center. Its goal is to develop an improved understanding of the dynamics of the U.S. repair and renovation industry so that businesses can better take advantage of the opportunities that this market offers. Baker is also the Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C. In this capacity he analyzes business and construction trends for the U.S. economy, and examines their impact on AIA members and the architectural profession.

Prior to joining the Joint Center, Baker was vice-president and director of the economics department at Reed Business Information where he was responsible for industry forecasting. During his ten years at Reed he developed the Top U.S. Construction Market Report, and served as editor of the Reed Business Information's Construction Market Forecast newsletter.

Baker received his master's degree in urban planning from Harvard University, and holds a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the same field.

Carole Wedge
FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP

Wedge served 17 years as CEO of Shepley Bulfinch, one of the nation’s largest architecture and interior design firms. Driving the firm’s national expansion, she fostered an open culture and collaborative work environment while spearheading a rebrand that revitalized the firm’s institutional identity. Wedge boasts a dynamic leadership record within the architectural community, serving on numerous Boards and Executive Committees, including AIA’s Board of Directors, Architects Foundation, the Large Firm Roundtable, the Boston Society of Architects, Boston Architectural College, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Her work bridges architectural practice with innovation, education, mentorship, and public impact. Wedge earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.

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