Energy-efficient renovation had been accepted widely as the best solution for aging residential buildings. In order to guide such real projects in China and maximize the benefits in energy, environmental and economic fields from these activities, this article developed a methodology to assist decision-makers to design energy-efficient renovation plan in the early stage of design phase, and used a case study to demonstrate how to apply it. Following it, a suitable energy-efficient renovation plan, integrating all effective and available energy-saving measures, could be put forward for the subject building, and its effects on reduction of energy consumption. CO2 emission and cost be evaluated accurately. The results showed that from the viewpoint of reducing energy consumption and CO2 emission, energy-efficient renovation was worth being implemented to upgrade the existing residential buildings in China, but from the economic view, governments should provide certain subsidy for such real projects and increase electricity price. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.