Recent years have seen growing interest in the issue of adaptability in the built environment. This interest has been stimulated by a number of factors, including increasing rates of technological change, concerns about potential climate change and a desire to make the built environment more sustainable by extending the life of our building stock. However, how does adaptability manifest itself in practice and what factors influence the capacity of buildings and urban areas to accommodate change? The conference will explore these and other questions by providing a range of perspectives on adaptability, relating to design, culture, management, business and sustainability.