An announcement from Causeway Technologies Inc. describes a new effort by forty-some companies to design an XML-based B2B e-commerce system for builders and suppliers. eBuild-XML is "a joint initiative formed by [a core group of] sixteen of the largest UK house builders to aid the development of e-commerce in their sector, to reduce costs, and to improve efficiency. The eBuild-XML initiative is being led by BASDA (the Business Application Software Developers Association). It is helping the house builders and suppliers to develop a B2B e-commerce system that will initially enable them to exchange orders and invoices electronically between their different computer systems. Some forty companies, including most of the major house builders, are working together with suppliers to develop electronic orders and invoices based on BASDA's existing XML message standard. The concept of eBuild-XML is to be a low cost initiative that any supplier or house builder can join. Work has already begun to define message standards to handle the specialist information that is required in the housing industry and a series of pilot schemes to test the message will begin shortly."

Business Application Software Developers' Association (BASDA) "is the international software standards body, based in the UK, representing 370 of the world's leading developers and suppliers of business application software. BASDA has developed standards and accreditations for handling business to business and business to Government eCommerce, euro compliance and VAT handling. It provides an information service and runs seminars and workshops for the benefit of its members and business."