News
CPA 2026 Fall Meeting Begins Sunday
The Fall Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Savannah kicks off this weekend, welcoming over 165 attendees, guests, and spouses from 75 companies. The Monday General Session will feature Scott Lincicome, Vice President of General Economics and the Stiefel Trade Policy Center at the Cato Institute, presenting “Finding (Some) Clarity in the Chaos: North American Trade
U.S. New Home Sales Up in August
U.S. sales of new single-family homes in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 684,000, climbing 6.4% from the revised July rate but 2.0% lower than the comparable month in 2025. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new homes for sale in August was 483,000, representing an 8.5-month supply at the existing sales rate.
August U.S. Architectural Billings Remain Soft
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Economics & Market Research Group’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) gained 0.6 points to 47.2 in August but remained below the 50 threshold. Fewer firms noted a drop in billings than in July, though most continued to report a slow market. Midwest firms posted moderate gains for the first time
U.S. RV Shipments Mixed in August
The RV Industry Association’s monthly survey of U.S. manufacturers reported sales of 23,599 units in August, up 18.3% from July but 16.4% lower than the same month in 2025. Year-to-date shipments dropped 14.2% to 207,191 from the comparable period in 2025. See RV Monthly Shipments
July Canadian Construction Investment Strengthens
July Canadian building construction investment totaled $23.6 billion (CAD), climbing 1.2% above June and 8.1% from the comparable month last year. Residential construction spending edged up 0.3% from June to $16.2 billion and non-residential totals grew 3.2% to $7.4 billion. Seasonally adjusted single-family investment was 3.5% higher than June at $7.8 billion, while multi-unit levels
Canadian Furniture Retail Sales Down in July
Canadian seasonally adjusted retail furniture store sales in July decreased 0.6% from June and fell 2.0% from the same month in 2025 to $1.2 billion (CAD). Sales for building material dealers reached $4.0 billion, up 0.8% from June but 0.4% lower than July 2025. Total Canadian retail sales for the month were $73.7 billion, dipping
Architectural Billings Dip in August
The July Architecture Billings Index (ABI) decreased 1.9 points to 48.1, according to The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Economics & Market Research Group. A score above 50 indicates growth in billings, while a score below means a decline in firm billings. Design contracts decreased 2.1 points from July to 47.9. August billings were below
August RV Shipments Improve Month-over-Month
The RV Industry Association’s monthly survey of U.S. manufacturers reported August shipments totaled 28,071 units, increasing 36.8% from July but dropping 16.9% from August 2022. Year-to-date shipments totaled 213,421, decreasing 45.0% compared to 2022. See RV Industry Association
Canadian Furniture Retail Sales Up
Canadian seasonally adjusted retail furniture store sales in July increased 1.3% from June to $1.20 billion (CAD) but were 3.6% lower than the same month in 2022. Sales for building material dealers rose 0.9% from June to $3.88 billion but were 7.0% lower than July 2022. Total Canadian retail sales grew 0.3% from June to $66.1
August Panel Shipments Report Available
The August Panel Shipments report is now available to members.
CPA Fall Meeting Hotel Discount Deadline Next Week
The deadline to reserve rooms at the CPA discounted rate at the Lansdowne Resort for the Fall Meeting is next Friday, September 29. The meeting begins on Sunday, October 22, with the Welcome Reception and concludes midday on Tuesday, October 24. The Lansdowne Resort, located in Leesburg, VA, is 12 miles from the Washington Dulles
Visit CPA Booth at Greenbuild Next Week
CPA will be exhibiting at the Greenbuild Expo in Washington D.C. on September 27-29. Visit CPA’s booth #1303, near the show’s entrance, to learn more about the industry’s sustainability story and see member products on display. See Greenbuild. More Info: Allyson O’Sullivan