Jade Whittaker has been named sustainability judge of the 2025 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA).

As the bearer of this specialist position in the IDEA jury, Whittaker will oversee IDEA’s Sustainability Award, which is presented to the submission that demonstrates a holistic and effective response to sustainable design. She will work alongside fellow judge Melissa Leung, jury chair Paul Hecker and other leading designers to be announced over the coming weeks.

Whittaker has become a force for sustainable interior design in Australia over the course of eight years in the industry. In 2022, she was recognised in Australian Design Review’s inaugural 30UNDER30 program for her work as a senior interior designer at renowned sustainable architecture and design firm Breathe, where she eventually became a circularity specialist. 

Last year, Whittaker left the firm, carving out some time to reflect on her values and career goals. She returned to the workforce with a desire to expand her impact.

“Driving to Western Australia to walk 1000 kilometres gave me the space and time to think about my direction,” she tells Australian Design Review. “Now, I’m exploring new opportunities in design and sustainability, with a strong focus on how circular principles can be applied at scale.”

Simplifying sustainability into three key steps

The subject of sustainability – marred as it is by greenwashing and complex credentials – can sometimes overwhelm interior designers. Whittaker says there’s a perception that the responsibility to implement sustainable design lies with a project’s architect.

“But in reality, it’s simple, and we all play a role in making it the norm,” she says.

For Whittaker, truly sustainable interior design takes a “use-less” approach. She considers three key factors, which align with the IDEA Sustainability Award criteria.

1. Avoiding fossil fuels and reducing operational energy

Right now, operational carbon is the biggest contributor to the built environment’s emissions. As we transition to green energy and phase out fossil fuels, this will change and embodied carbon will account for a larger percentage of total carbon. Until then, interior designers continue to play an important role in minimising operational emissions.

Out of all three, Whittaker believes this step to be the easiest. To reduce the operational emissions of a project, she recommends removing gas, encouraging clients to switch to 100 percent green electricity, specifying energy-efficient appliances and choosing water-efficient fixtures.

2. Using circular and healthy materials

According to Whittaker, a circular approach means choosing materials that are:

• reusable, repurposable or recyclable (rather than destined for landfill) 
• durable and repairable (to extend their lifespan), and 
• non-toxic (to protect people and the environment).

As more suppliers offer circular solutions such as take-back programs and recycled materials, designers have a responsibility to seek out and champion these options.

“The world can’t sustain infinite material consumption, so we need to start seeing our projects as material banks. When a space is eventually dismantled, what can be ‘mined’ and used again?” she says.

“A key strategy here is designing for disassembly – using mechanical fixings instead of adhesives so materials can be easily removed, repaired and reused. This small shift in thinking can have a massive impact on reducing waste.”

3. Timeless design

Whittaker is a proponent of “timeless” design. For her, this means creating “spaces that endure, both functionally and aesthetically”.

“A sustainable project is one that lasts,” she says.

One of the “best ways” to design an enduring space is to incorporate natural tones and materials that tap into our innate connection to nature. 

“Biophilic design principles help create spaces that feel good to be in, meaning people are less likely to tire of them,” she says. 

Whittaker points to the enduring appeal of modernist interiors – with their emphasis on simplicity, functionality and quality materials. She similarly admires Breathe’s reductionist approach to apartments. In Nightingale Wurru wurru biik and Preston, for example, Breathe used a natural pallet with clear-finished MDF joinery fronts. 

“This understated choice allows residents to personalise their space over time. Instead of replacing the joinery, they can simply repaint it to suit their style,” she says.

Sniffing out greenwashing

Even for someone as entrenched in the practice of circular design as Whittaker, identifying greenwashing can be “tricky”. She applies a classic rule of thumb: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

“One of the red flags I look for is recyclability and recycled content claims. A product might be labelled as ‘100 percent recyclable’ but that doesn’t always mean it’s recyclable in Australia. If there’s no local infrastructure to process it, it’s likely heading to landfill,” she explains. 

“Similarly, if a product boasts ‘recycled content’ but doesn’t specify how much or where it comes from, I dig deeper into any other sustainability claims.”

When researching materials, Whittaker’s go-to questions are:

• Where is it from? (Local sourcing reduces transport emissions.)
• Is it low VOC to ensure healthier indoor air quality?
• Does it contain Red List ingredients, i.e. chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment like formaldehyde and PVC?
• Is it truly recyclable or biodegradable, and is the infrastructure in place to process it?

Whittaker uses resources like Product Aware by Architects Declare, which helps designers ask the right questions and compare materials on sustainability credentials. Both Breathe and Product Aware also offer free sustainable materials guides on their websites, which help to cut through greenwashing and make informed choices.

“At the end of the day, the key is to stay curious and ask questions – transparency is a good indicator of whether a brand is genuinely sustainable or just using the right buzzwords,” she says.

What will Whittaker be looking out for in this year’s IDEA entries?

IDEA is thrilled to have Whittaker apply her discerning and comprehensive lens to this year’s program.

“I’m excited to see creative ways designers are repurposing materials and using a reductionist approach to create an elegant space,” she says. “Approaching a project with this mindset always leads to unexpected results and I can’t wait to see what innovative solutions emerge this year!”

Check out the full submission criteria for the Sustainability category and enter your project here.

IDEA 2025 is brought to you by Overall Sponsor Miele, alongside category sponsors Crafted Hardwoods, Cult, Designer Rugs, ForestOne, MillerKnoll, Neolith, Laufen and Zenith.

Headshot supplied by Jade Whittaker.