HARRISBURG — The head of the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex says he’s a fan of all things green — including green power and the money it saves.

Executive director Patrick Kerwin says recycling and energy savings projects are responsible for big savings at the Harrisburg complex over the past year.

The state Department of Agriculture’s budget office says expenses were down $761,000 during the past fiscal year compared to the year before, making 2009-10 the leanest spending year at the complex since 2005-06.

Kerwin cites a $3.5 million energy savings program that tries to find ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce operations and maintenance costs. That has included replacing more than 8,000 lighting fixtures with energy-efficient bulbs, adding aerators to sinks and low-flow valves in restrooms, and rooftop solar hot water and photovoltaic systems.

Officials say those initiatives add to practices already in place such as a wind turbine that produces nearly 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year and a recycling program, stormwater garden and rooftop rain water collection tank.

“These environmentally friendly enhancements are not only good social policy, but also a good business practice,” Kerwin told The Patriot-News. “In addition to reducing costs, it benefits the complex from a marketing standpoint. More organizations are seeking environmentally friendly facilities to hold their events.”