Architects are puzzling over whether a general slowdown in their industry or a rash of disasters — wildfires and hurricanes — is leading to a softening in a monthly index of design activity. Natural disasters in the South and West “have clouded the health of design and construction activity, making it difficult to separate a temporary setback from a general slowdown in design activity,” Jessica Reinert, executive director of the Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects, said in a release. The October index dropped to an almost growth-neutral 50.4, down from 51.1 in September. However, design billings in the Midwest were robust, with the region reporting an October reading of 57.8. The Northeast also tallied an increase in billings, with an October score of 51.8. “We are fortunate the weather in Iowa and the Midwest has been cooperating with the design and construction sectors and billings continue to remain strong,” Reinert said. Any reading above 50 indicates an increase in billings activity, an indication of future construction spending.