David has been in the field of sustainable building products for the past 25 years researching novel bio-based materials, building systems, sustainability, and health / biophilia in the built environment. He completed his Master's degree at Oregon State researching the adoption and diffusion of building product innovations and extended this into a research career in construction markets and wood building systems development.

As his research progressed it became clear to David that there was a relationship between humans and wood that went beyond pure utilitarian function. Through his doctoral research at UBC he found evidence of a biophilic link between the presence of wood in the built environment and important psychophysiological health metrics. This work opened his eyes to the wider field of environmental psychology and biophilic design. David has traveled the world speaking on this topic and visiting other researchers and practitioners that are part of the biophilia movement.

In his current role at Forestry Innovation Investment, a B.C. Provincial Crown Corporation, David tracks trends in design, construction, automation, trade, and sustainability. One of the top trends is a focus on health and biophilia in the built environment. To that end, he is coordinating research projects in Canada and internationally on the role of materials in biophilic design to ensure that scientific evidence is in place as this trend develops.