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The Atmospheric Environmental Monitoring Network successfully undertook the task of monitoring the atmospheric quality of Beijing and its surrounding area during the 2008 Olympics. The results of this monitoring show that high concentrations of PM2.5 pollution exhibited a regional pattern during the monitoring period （1 June-30 October 2008）. The PM2.5 mass concentrations were 53 μg m-3, 66 p.g m-3, and 82 μg m-3 at the background site, in Beijing, and in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomerations, respectively. The PM2.5 levels were lowest during the 2008 Olympic Games （8-24 August）： 35μg m-3 at the background site, 42 μg m-3 in Beijing and 57 μg m-3 in the region. These levels represent decreases of 49%, 48% and 56%, respectively, compared to the prophase mean concentration before the Olympic Games. Emission control measures contributed 62% 82% of the declines observed in Beijing, and meteorological conditions represented 18%-38%. The concentration of fine particles met the goals set for a ＂Green Olympics.＂

The key to studying urban sustainable development depends on quantifying stores, efficiencies of urban metabolisms and capturing urban metabolisms’ mechanisms. This paper builds up the metabolic emergy account and quantifies some important concepts of emergy stores. Emphasis is placed on the urban metabolic model based on the slack based model (SBM) method to measure urban metabolic efficiencies. Urban metabolic mechanisms are discussed by using the regression method. By integrating these models, this paper analyzes the urban metabolic development in Beijing from 2001 to 2010. We conclude that the metabolic emergy stores of Beijing increased significantly from 2001 to 2010, with the emergy imported accounting for most of the increase. The metabolic efficiencies in Beijing have improved since the 2008 Olympic Games. The population, economic growth, industrial structures, and environmental governance positively affect the overall urban metabolism, while the land expansion, urbanization and environmentally technical levels hinder the improving of urban metabolic efficiencies. The SBM metabolic method and the regression model based on the emergy analysis provide insights into the urban metabolic efficiencies and the mechanism. They can promote to integrate such concepts into their sustainability analyses and policy decisions.

For the 2008 Olympic Games, drastic control measures were implemented on industrial and urban emissions of sulfur dioxide （SO2）, nitrogen oxides （NOx） and other pollutants to address the issues of poor air quality in Beijing. To investigate the effects of SO2 and NOx reductions on the particulate sulfate and nitrate concentrations as well as their size distributions, size-segregated aerosol samples were collected using micro-orifice uniform deposit impactors （MOUDIs） at urban and downwind rural sites in Beijing before and after full-scale controls. During the sampling period, the mass concentrations of fine particles （PMI.s） at the urban and rural sites were 94.0 and 85.9 p.g m-3, respectively. More than 90% of the sulfates and 60% of nitrates formed as fine particles. Benefiting from the advantageous meteorological conditions and the source controls, sulfates were observed in rather low concentrations and primarily in condensation mode during the Olympics. The effects of the control measures were separately analyzed for the northerly and the southerly air-mass-dominated days to account for any bias. After the control measures were implemented, PM, sulfates, and nitrates were significantly reduced when the northerly air masses prevailed, with a higher percentage of reduction in larger particles. The droplet mode particles, which dominated the sulfates and nitrates before the controls were implemented, were remarkably reduced in mass concentration after the control measures were implemented. Nevertheless, when the polluted southerly air masses prevailed, the local source control measures in Beijing did not effectively reduce the ambient sulfate concentration due to the enormous regional contribution from the North China Plain.

Performance analysis of the Pangu Plaza under earthquake and wind loads is described in this paper. The plaza is a 39-story steel high-rise building, 191 m high, located in Beijing close to the 2008 Olympic main stadium. It has both fluid viscous dampers （FVDs） and buckling restrained braces or unbonded brace （BRB or UBB） installed. A repeated iteration procedure in its design and analysis was adopted for optimization. Results from the seismic response analysis in the horizontal and vertical directions show that the FVDs are highly effective in reducing the response of both the main structure and the secondary system. A comparative analysis of structural seismic performance and economic impact was conducted using traditional methods, i.e., increased size of steel columns and beams and/or use of an increased number of seismic braces versus using FVD. Both the structural response and economic analysis show that using FVD to absorb seismic energy not only satisfies the Chinese seismic design code for a ＂rare＂ earthquake, but is also the most economical way to improve seismic performance both for one-time direct investment and long term maintenance.

With great promotion of mega-events in both quantities and qualities in China, the research of Mega-events has been increased. As a global hallmark event, the Olympics, with their enormous scale, universal attraction for the media and tremendous political significance, have increasingly drawn attention from the researchers. It is obvious that Beijing has been greatly impacted by the 2008 Olympic Games as the host. The event aroused close attention of researchers, especially the problem how the Olympic stadiums and facilities can be utilized after Olympic Games. The paper employed 3 methods to conduct a survey, that is, sending questionnaires to tourists, in- terviewing with government officers, and collecting information about former Olympic Parks from Intemet and lit- eratures. The utilization of former Olympic Parks after Games was summarized and some experiences were refined. Besides, 3 main bodies including government, business operators and visitors which formed basic driving forces to influence the park＇s use were analyzed. At the same time, the paper believes that 3 topics affect the park＇s utilization involving ＇prepare to use＇, ~how to use it＇ and ~how to manage it＇, and Beijing Olympic Park can also follow that thinking and reference in the ft~her practices. Based on it, suggestions are given that Beijing Olympic Park can be planned spatially from 3 layers, the point, line and area, based on their function and infrastructure in the Games, and the area would be shaped as a new urban center with multi-functions while Mega-events and sport events are still the main content of the park.

On May 18, Beijing welcomed the opening of the Ninth China （Beijing） International Garden Exposition, another grand event to showcase the capital＇s attractions following the Olympic Games in 2008.