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The present paper focuses on the development steps of heat exchangers dedicated to single room ventilation unit with heat recovery (SRVHR) by proposing a numerical approach. A methodology is suggested in order to determine the best trade-off between hydraulic and thermal performance given a specific geometry. The methodology consists in a mapping of the coefficient of performance (COP) of the unit. The latter is defined as the ratio between recovered heat and the fan energy use, given a specific indoor/outdoor temperature difference. However, the energy performance should not be the only criterion to be taken into account in the frame of the design steps of a heat recovery exchanger: technical, economic and acoustic aspects should also be considered. This numerical methodology is illustrated by means of a real example of a newly developed heat exchanger dedicated to a SRVHR. The optimization is first performed while using a semi-empirical model (based on the use of correlations and on a spatial division of the studied heat exchanger). The semi-empirical model allows for the creation of a COP map in order to identify the most effective geometry parameters for the heat exchanger. The decision concerning the final geometry is made accounting for the so-called technical, economic and acoustic considerations. A discussion on some parameters needed for the COP establishment is also proposed.