Encouraging perhaps, the latest statistics on the prospects and performance for architects and engineers seem to be of the “not so negative” variety.

The December data from the Office for National Statistics’ Turnover and Orders in Production and Services Industries show what could be regarded as real growth for architectural and engineering services in 2011.

Last year the sector delivered in cash terms £43.3 billion of turnover compared with £41.4 billion in 2010. This was a rise of about 4.5% and represents the first rise in turnover in real terms for almost three years.

Unfortunately the data provides little clue as to whether this growth is being achieved in the UK or abroad.

Meanwhile, figures produced by the architects’ body RIBA point to a less negative view of the future. Indeed the take from RIBA is that its Future Trends Survey points to more stability.

The balance of architects expecting work to increase against those expecting a fall stood at minus 2% in January. This is an improvement from the -11 figure in December and is the nearest to positive since August last year.

Looked at in a bit more detail however, the figures are not that positive. The slide in optimism over the commercial sector increased and the data suggests that firms still expect to be shedding permanent staff faster than engaging them.

This does not bode particularly well when looked at from a UK perspective given that the revival of the commercial sector is critical to the construction sector dragging itself out of the slump.

But there were patches of optimism. The figures suggest the large London-based practices are very hopeful of growth. The survey release however does not provide an indication of whether this might in part be down to their ability to seek work outside the UK.

Looked at in absolute terms the survey release suggests that workloads in January this year stood 8% down on the same period a year ago and down by about a third since 2008. This rather illustrates the damage caused by the recession and the level of repair that would be needed to bring the industry back to its former scale.

But looked at from a wider construction industry perspective the fact that architects and engineers are not currently suffering a sharp fall in work can be taken as reassuring. While the construction industry is widely tipped to dip into a further recession this year, it looks on this evidence like it will be more of a slide than a plunge.