To　provide　a　reference　for　the　renovation　of　existing　residential　districts,　this　study　quantifies　and　com-pares　the　relationships　between　common　renovation　strategies,　microclimate,　and　cooling　loads.　These　common　strategies　include　improving　the　greening　rate,　improving　the　reflectivity　of　pavement,　improv-ing　the　reflectivity　of　wall　materials,　and　improving　the　reflectivity　of　roof　materials　or　applying　green　roof.　These　strategies　are　applied　to　a　typical　model　extracted　from　existing　residential　areas　in　Beijing,　Shanghai,　and　Guangzhou.　ENVI-met　and　DesignBuilder　are　combined　to　simulate　the　microcli-mate　represented　by　the　average　meteorological　parameters　in　front　of　building　surfaces　and　the　building　cooling　load　on　a　typical　meteorological　day　in　summer.　The　results　show　that　increasing　the　vegetation　has　the　most　significant　effect　on　the　microclimate,　and　improving　the　roof　reflectivity　can　yield　the　most　reduction　in　the　cooling　load.　Generally,　all　the　strategies　tend　to　be　more　effective　under　a　climate　zone　with　a　stronger　solar　radiation.　The　sensible　cooling　load　is　underestimated　and　the　latent　cooling　load　is　overestimated　if　neglecting　microclimate　effect.　Furthermore,　the　difference　in　the　total　cooling　load,　between　considering　microclimate　results　and　not,　was　affected　by　the　proportion　of　sensible　and　latent　cooling　loads.　To　sum　up,　high-reflectivity　roofs　should　be　given　priority,　and　building　energy　consump-tion　should　be　simulated　with　microclimate　results,　especially　relative　humidity　and　wind　speed.　(c)　2021　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.