diff --git a/JasperReportsWebApp/build.xml b/JasperReportsWebApp/build.xml
index b759df39c1..3a36f6b902 100644
--- a/JasperReportsWebApp/build.xml
+++ b/JasperReportsWebApp/build.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <property name="dist.dir" value="."/>
 
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <!-- set path to include the necessary jar files for javac -->
   <path id="project.class.path">
diff --git a/_Project-ID-AdempiereJasper/build.xml b/_Project-ID-AdempiereJasper/build.xml
index 0537aefc80..9c61189865 100644
--- a/_Project-ID-AdempiereJasper/build.xml
+++ b/_Project-ID-AdempiereJasper/build.xml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
   <!-- Set global properties for this build -->
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
   <property file="build.properties"/>
   <property name="plugins.dir"     value="plugins"/>
   <!--property name="compiere.dir"    value="${env.COMPIERE_HOME}"/-->
diff --git a/client/build.xml b/client/build.xml
index 1cb5bbc9b2..812b8c87a0 100644
--- a/client/build.xml
+++ b/client/build.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   <property name="dist.dir" value="../lib"/>
   <property name="jar.path" value="../lib"/>
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <!-- set path to include the necessary jar files for javac -->
   <path id="project.class.path">
diff --git a/dbPort/build.xml b/dbPort/build.xml
index 2ed83420de..e758a2fe26 100644
--- a/dbPort/build.xml
+++ b/dbPort/build.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
   <!-- set global properties for this build -->
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
   <property name="src" value="src"/>
   <property name="build.dir" value="build"/>
   <property name="dist.dir" value="."/>
diff --git a/install/build.xml b/install/build.xml
index 2a516b607a..4065cc5433 100644
--- a/install/build.xml
+++ b/install/build.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   </description>
 
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
   <property name="adempiere.dir" value="../"/>
   <property name="web.dir" value="../../adempiereWeb"/>
   <property name="dbStartup.dir" value="../db/database/Startup"/>
diff --git a/looks/build.xml b/looks/build.xml
index e3ce1939a2..dd9d4b7cf9 100644
--- a/looks/build.xml
+++ b/looks/build.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   <property name="jar.name" value="CLooks"/>
   <property name="version" value="_13"/>
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <!-- set path to include the necessary jar files for javac -->
   <path id="project.class.path">
diff --git a/print/build.xml b/print/build.xml
index 380ad2d0c5..43d603c6c5 100644
--- a/print/build.xml
+++ b/print/build.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
   <!-- set global properties for this build -->
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
   <property name="src" value="src"/>
   <property name="build.dir" value="build"/>
   <property name="dist.dir" value="."/>
diff --git a/serverApps/build.xml b/serverApps/build.xml
index df2d49e036..8e68648c8d 100644
--- a/serverApps/build.xml
+++ b/serverApps/build.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 <project name="adempiereApps" default="main" basedir=".">
 
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <property name="src.dir" value="${basedir}/src"/>
   <property name="src.main.dir" value="${src.dir}/main"/>
diff --git a/serverRoot/build.xml b/serverRoot/build.xml
index f6b2646d54..fb38ff96ee 100644
--- a/serverRoot/build.xml
+++ b/serverRoot/build.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 <project name="adempiereRoot" default="main" basedir=".">
 
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <property name="xdoclet.home" value="../tools" />
   <property name="xdoclet.force" value="false" />
diff --git a/sqlj/build.xml b/sqlj/build.xml
index 4956591d81..7b5bc09eec 100644
--- a/sqlj/build.xml
+++ b/sqlj/build.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 	<property name="build.dir" value="build"/>
 	<property name="dist.dir" value="."/>
 	<!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-	<property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+	<import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
 	
 	<path id="project.class.path">
diff --git a/tools/build.xml b/tools/build.xml
index bf2c85951e..08687ec743 100644
--- a/tools/build.xml
+++ b/tools/build.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   <property name="jboss.dir" value="../jboss"/>
   <property name="dist.dir" value="../lib"/>
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <!-- set path to include the necessary jar files for javac -->
   <path id="project.class.path">
diff --git a/utils_dev/build.properties b/utils_dev/build.properties
index bf000a6942..e5a11394a7 100644
--- a/utils_dev/build.properties
+++ b/utils_dev/build.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-env.ADEMPIERE_SOURCE=/home/jgubo/Development/Java/adempiere/trunk
+env.ADEMPIERE_SOURCE=${adempiere.base}
 env.ADEMPIERE_ROOT=${env.ADEMPIERE_SOURCE}/adempiere
 env.ADEMPIERE_HOME=${env.ADEMPIERE_ROOT}/Adempiere
 env.ADEMPIERE_INSTALL=${env.ADEMPIERE_SOURCE}/adempiere/install
diff --git a/utils_dev/build.xml b/utils_dev/build.xml
index 5f1ec2bf72..fa29389fd2 100644
--- a/utils_dev/build.xml
+++ b/utils_dev/build.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   </description>
 	<!-- set global properties for this build -->
 	<!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-	<property file="./utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="./properties.xml"/>
 	<property name="src" value="src"/>
 	<property name="build.dir" value="build"/>
 	<target name="init" description="initialization target">
diff --git a/utils_dev/properties.xml b/utils_dev/properties.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..88c7e0514d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils_dev/properties.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?xml version='1.0'?>
+<project name="properties" basedir=".">
+    <description>
+        This project file sets all properties needed during build and
+        installation. This file is imported in all other build.xml
+        files. This file provides a central place for managing
+        properties.
+    </description> 
+    
+    <dirname property="adempiere.base" file="${ant.file.properties}/.."/>
+    <property file="${user.home}/.adempiere.properties"/>
+    <property file="${adempiere.base}/utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+
+    <!-- Here we could add most common buildpaths -->
+
+</project>
diff --git a/webCM/build.xml b/webCM/build.xml
index 0791a3e1bf..36e70bc530 100644
--- a/webCM/build.xml
+++ b/webCM/build.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 <project name="webCM" default="main" basedir=".">
 
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <property name="src.dir" value="${basedir}/src"/>
   <property name="src.main.dir" value="${src.dir}/main"/>
diff --git a/webStore/build.xml b/webStore/build.xml
index a854eb0037..6b21e14137 100644
--- a/webStore/build.xml
+++ b/webStore/build.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 <project name="adempiereWebStore" default="main" basedir=".">
 
   <!--<property environment="env"/>-->
-  <property file="../utils_dev/build.properties"/>
+  <import file="../utils_dev/properties.xml"/>
 
   <property name="src.dir" value="${basedir}/src"/>
   <property name="src.main.dir" value="${src.dir}/main"/>