Ms. Heerwagen is a psychologist whose work focuses on the behavioral, psychosocial, and health impacts of building design and operations. Before GSA she was a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and also had her own consulting business for 10 years. She has written widely on occupant experience in buildings, the human factors of sustainability, and the links between human health and the natural environment. She is co-editor of Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life which won the 2008 Publishers Award for best book in architecture and urban planning. She received the 2014 Design for Humanity Award from the American Society of Interior Designers.