In this new Napa Valley luxury resort, guests are encouraged to think green ? not the greenbacks needed to pay for a $450-a-night suite, but the architecture and environmental amenities that are setting new green-building standards.
The property, named Bardessono after the family who owns the land, incorporates recycled rock and wood, as well as a geothermal heating system, extensive photovoltaic panels and other energy-saving designs.
The 62-room resort in Yountville, which opened earlier this month, is the brainchild of Phil Sherburne, a former city planner and eco-friendly developer who has overseen similar projects in Santa Barbara and the Seattle area.
Sherburne strives to achieve what he calls a ?sense of place,? a design that reflects the local character and environment. Sherburne said he is particularly proud of the way in which he facilitated the unlikely pairing of sustainability and luxury.
?There?s this misconception that sustainable products and sustainable living have to be inferior to other products because they?re good for the environment,? he said. ?Just because something is responsible doesn?t mean it can?t be of the highest quality.?
The resort?s commitment to sustainability is evident immediately upon arrival at the entrance along Yount Street, where a discreet sign for the property is made from rammed earth.
Rocks for columns that support the porte-cochere were recycled from an old stone structure that stood on the property for years. Redwood paneling on the underside of the overhang came from recycled wine casks from around the Napa Valley.
Inside, there are other green-minded touches: room doors are covered with a veneer of recycled walnut wood, and the exterior walls of guest buildings incorporate more than 80,000 linear square feet of recycled Monterey Cypress. Cinder blocks, a common design element throughout the six-acre property, are made from recycled concrete.
?More than 25 percent of this place is made from recycled materials of one kind or another,? said General Manager Roger Young. ?We could have built it the same ways other resorts are built, but we chose to do something entirely different.?
The facility is green in less obvious places, too.
During the early stages of construction, contractors dug 82 geothermal wells for in-room temperature control ? a feature that helps minimize the energy required keep rooms comfortable.
All rooms come with external blinds that automatically tilt closed when they receive direct sunlight to keep rooms cool. An energy management system from a Connecticut-based company, INNCOM, uses motion sensors to control energy usage costs when guests are not in their rooms.
The property?s eco-consciousness also has spread to the resort?s restaurant.
Executive Chef Sean O?Toole prepares dishes with fresh herbs and produce grown in gardens on-site. After food preparation, chefs toss organic scraps into a fully enclosed food waste composter dubbed the Earth Tub, which is powered by an auger motor and filtered by an air purification system that keeps nasty odors at bay.
According to Sherburne, the Earth Tub can process up to 500 pounds of biomass each day and break it down into about 150 pounds of compost?material that is then used to fertilize the resort?s gardens and landscaping.
?Everything we do, we do with the goals of reducing resource use, conserving energy and treading lightly upon the land,? the developer said.
So far, this commitment to sustainability has garnered the property critical acclaim on both local and national levels.
On the national stage, the resort is under consideration for a Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
Locally, the property is turning heads as well.
Yountville Mayor Cindy Saucerman said that while Bardessono will compete for guests with other popular local resorts such as Villagio Inn & Spa, Maison Fleurie and the Vintage Inn, the sustainability card is something none of these other properties can boast.
?That?s what distinguishes it,? she said. ?With people caring more and more about what happens to our environment, I think that will be a real selling point.?
Despite these glowing reviews, Bardessono has challenges ahead.
Though the resort opened formally Feb. 2, the spa and pool areas were behind schedule and are not expected to open until next month.
Furthermore, at a time when the economy is sputtering and spending on tourism is flat, even Sherburne and Young admit that the resort could have trouble selling suites that start at $450 a night and can push beyond $600.
Steve Bardessono, the septuagenarian who owns the land and lived there from 1974 until construction began in 2006, is not worried.
?By being mindful of the landscape and incorporating pieces of the past into the present, we?re paving the way for a bright future,? he says. ?Tackling development sustainably is something that will resonate with people no matter what.?
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