Design services at architecture firms remains in high demand, a good sign for the construction industry, with the American Institute of Architects monthly index of billings activity registering 55 in November, up from a score of 51.7 in the previous month, according to a release. The new projects inquiry index was at 61.1, up from a reading of 60.2 in October, while the new design contracts index rose slightly from 52.8 to 53.2. “The industry is seeing some of (its) strongest growth of the year in all major construction sections,” AIA Iowa Executive Director Jessica Reinert said in a statement. “This type of momentum keeps us hopeful for a prosperous 2018.”