The arrival of one more luxury resort in the Napa Valley would be hardly worth mentioning except that eco-developer Phil Sherburne’s new Bardessono, recently opened in Yountville, just raised the bar for sustainable development in Napa County. And it may also be the hospitality model for the future.

As Sherburne guided a group of us through the starkly modern complex just days before the official launch, one visitor confessed, “I wasn’t sure I’d come to the right place. I thought this was a school.” So did I. Luxury resort is not the first thing that comes to mind upon arrival, yet the boxy design and restricted palette of earth tones supports my idea that Bardessono might in fact double as a school. This contender for the highest level of sustainable building certification — the LEED platinum — can teach us how to rethink high-end hospitality from the ground up.

The moment Sherburne pointed to the driveway stones we walked on and explained they were not set in concrete but packed sand for drainage, I was very impressed. Guests might not care, but as a local I’m aware that concrete and asphalt cause storm water to travel too fast, increasing our local flooding incidents and removing topsoil. But porous surfaces help slow the movement of storm water and preserve soil. The rainwater absorbed through this sand in the driveway will remain available to the roots of the mature oak tree in the central courtyard. A little flood prevention. More Napa water conserved. More Napa soil kept in place. Brilliant.

Resources are used wisely here. Salvaged materials were used in an integral fashion for the buildings, and more than 90 percent of the construction waste was recycled. (Construction debris accounts for most stuff dumped in landfills.) Geothermal wells heat water. Roofs host solar voltaic systems. And chef Sean O’Toole sees kitchen scraps transformed into garden soil on the premises via the Earth Tub composter.

 In contrast to the outside, the interiors present soft elegance, not only good-looking but smart: The guest rooms self-adjust to economize on heating and cooling in your absence, and turn off your electricity for you when you leave. The bedclothes are organic cotton. Elegant cabinetry houses the massage table for in-room spa services not interrupted by your getting up to dress and leave. Instead, the massage therapist exits and you remain relaxed in your room. The orchard walnut floors in the bathroom are not only beautiful but naturally warm on bare feet.

The public areas are adorned with carefully selected cuts of wood, all reclaimed. My favorite is the birdseye redwood door that leads from the main courtyard into the lobby. There is no check-in desk. Visitors are welcomed in the fashion of a houseguest, without a counter separating the greeter and the greeted. It seems Sherburne has removed barriers to high-end hospitality with as much intelligence as he has removed wastefulness from the concept of luxury resort.