diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 55ea347..f06bee8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,3 +52,5 @@ point to `bin/lib`.
 
 To build the project, just use the `build` alias or invoke the `build.sh`
 script from the project's base directory.
+
+`build` and `build.sh` accept the environment variables `CXX` and `CXXFLAGS`. `CXXFLAGS` must at least specify the C++ version.
diff --git a/setupenv.bashrc b/setupenv.bashrc
index c7d9caf..380fde8 100644
--- a/setupenv.bashrc
+++ b/setupenv.bashrc
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 PROJECT_BASE_DIR="$( cd -- "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" >/dev/null 2>&1 ; pwd -P )"
 
-alias build="pushd \"$PROJECT_BASE_DIR\" >/dev/null 2>&1; scripts/build.sh; popd >/dev/null 2>&1"
 alias clean="pushd \"$PROJECT_BASE_DIR\" >/dev/null 2>&1; scripts/clean.sh; popd >/dev/null 2>&1"
 alias clean_dependencies="pushd \"$PROJECT_BASE_DIR\" >/dev/null 2>&1; scripts/clean_dependencies.sh; popd >/dev/null 2>&1"
 alias setup_project="pushd \"$PROJECT_BASE_DIR\" >/dev/null 2>&1; scripts/setup_project.sh; popd >/dev/null 2>&1"
 
+function build {
+    pushd "$PROJECT_BASE_DIR" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    CXX="$CXX" CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS" scripts/build.sh
+    popd >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+
 if [ -z "$LD_LIBRARY_PATH" ]; then
     export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$PROJECT_BASE_DIR"/bin/lib
 else