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In China, the annual energy consumption for cooling represents a relatively large and rising trend. District cooling systems (DCSs) have attracted increasing attention owing to their energy-saving operation and high-efficiency. However, a reasonable operation strategy for DCSs with multi-cold sources is still a problem. The main objective of this paper is to present a computer model to investigate the performance of large-scale DCSs in China based on survey data. To evaluate the performance of the system, we established a baseline model and a DCS model with ice thermal storage (ITS). We also developed a control logic that can respond to real-time load changes in a timely manner for both models. A comparison of the two models under a set control strategy revealed that the carbon dioxide emissions (CDEs) and energy consumption of the DCS and ITS (DCS&ITS) were 9% higher than the baseline model without ITS, but the cumulative cooling capacity also increased by 20% to satisfy users 14% of the cooling load demand. ITS has eased the pressure on the power grid while reducing operating costs. The annual operating cost of DCS&ITS was reduced by 6.78% compared with the baseline model, and the overall system efficiency increased by 9.46%. [Display omitted] • The multi-cold source DCS in subtropical climate was studied. • The baseline model and DCS&ITS model were developed based on TRNSYS. • The ice storage module in TRNSYS and its related mathematical models were elaborated. • The optimal control program of all devices in the DCS was designed. • The performance of two models was evaluated from multiple perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]