The Moderator of the General Assembly, the Rt Rev David Lunan, led a special service on Wednesday night to dedicate a groundbreaking eco-friendly church at Bridge of Allan in Scotland.

The newly extended hall at the Bridge of Allan Church makes use of the latest renewable technology, including an innovative heating system developed in Sweden that incorporates a ground source heat pump in conjunction with under floor heating and four boreholes that go 100 metres down into the ground. The heat pump is connected to new radiators that will be used to heat the existing church premises.

With a view to making the project as environmentally friendly as possible, solar panels will be used to heat the church's water supply.

Bridge of Allan Church is one of more than 180 eco-congregations in Scotland that have made commitments to tackle climate change through action in their local communities and by making environmentally friendly changes to the way their churches and congregations function. The eco-congregations are supported by the Church of Scotland.

"The Bridge of Allan project is an excellent example of that commitment in action, and is 'groundbreaking' in every sense of the phrase," said Rev Lunan ahead of last night's service.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kirk to helping the country make major cuts to its carbon emissions levels.

"The Church is ready and willing to work with the Scottish Government through the eco-congregations programme to help the country meet its target of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases by 80 per cent by 2050," he said.

The Church of Scotland moved its commitment to climate change up a gear under previous moderator the Rt Rev Sheilagh Kesting, when it became part of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition at the end of last year.

The Kirk said at the time that it particularly shared the coalition's vision to generate positive public pressure on the UK Government to take the necessary steps at home and abroad to ensure that global warming does not exceed 2 degrees centigrade.