My configs for cowbuilder, based mostly on http://www.tolaris.com/2009/03/31/backporting-debian-packages-with-pbuilder/ http://blog.edseek.com/~jasonb/articles/pbuilder_backports/pbuilderbuild.html but with updates and fixes.

D10apt-ftparchive

#!/bin/bash
# 2009-04-09 tyler - use previously built packages as an apt source
# http://blog.edseek.com/~jasonb/articles/pbuilder_backports/pbuilderbuild.html#pbuilderhook

echo Calling $0

: ${DIST:=$(lsb_release --short --codename)}
: ${ARCH:=$(dpkg --print-architecture)}
NAME="$DIST-$ARCH"
BUILDRESULT="/var/cache/pbuilder/$NAME/result/"

# create apt archive of previously built packages
( cd $BUILDRESULT ; apt-ftparchive packages . > $BUILDRESULT/Packages )

# see ~/.pbuilderrc for creation of $BUILDRESULT/Release

apt-get update

pbuilderrc

# this is your configuration file for pbuilder.
# the file in /usr/share/pbuilder/pbuilderrc is the default template.
# /etc/pbuilderrc is the one meant for overwriting defaults in
# the default template
#
# read pbuilderrc.5 document for notes on specific options.
export MIRRORSITE=http://cdn.debian.net/debian/

export PDEBUILD_PBUILDER=cowbuilder

# based on http://www.tolaris.com/2009/03/31/backporting-debian-packages-with-pbuilder/
# and modified/updated

# 2008-08-13 tyler
# support building multiple distributions and architectures

: ${DIST:=jessie}
: ${ARCH:=$(dpkg --print-architecture)}
export NAME="$DIST-$ARCH"
export DISTRIBUTION="$DIST"
export DEBOOTSTRAPOPTS=("--arch" "$ARCH" "${DEBOOTSTRAPOPTS[@]}")
export BASEPATH="/var/cache/pbuilder/$NAME/base.cow/"
export BUILDPLACE="/var/cache/pbuilder/$NAME/build/"
export BUILDRESULT="/var/cache/pbuilder/$NAME/result/"
export APTCACHE="/var/cache/pbuilder/$NAME/aptcache/"

# Don't rebuild source files (.diff.gz, .dsc), or list them in .changes
# See Ubuntu bug 118181
#DEBBUILDOPTS="-b"

case "$DIST" in
#    karmic|jaunty|intrepid|hardy|dapper) # ubuntu specific
#        MIRRORSITE="http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/"
#        COMPONENTS="main restricted universe multiverse"
#        ;;
    sid|jessie) # debian specific
        export COMPONENTS="main contrib non-free"
        ;;
    *)
        echo "Unknown distribution: $DIST"
        exit 1
        ;;
esac

export HOOKDIR=/home/rpavlik/Dropbox/configs/pbuilder-hooks

# use previously built packages as local respository
export BINDMOUNTS="$BUILDRESULT"
export OTHERMIRROR="deb [trusted=yes] file://$BUILDRESULT ./"

# create local repository if it doesn't already exist,
# such as during initial 'pbuilder create'
if [ ! -d $BUILDRESULT ] ; then
        mkdir -p $BUILDRESULT
fi
if [ ! -e $BUILDRESULT/Packages ] ; then
        touch $BUILDRESULT/Packages
fi
if [ ! -e $BUILDRESULT/Release ] ; then
        cat << EOF > $BUILDRESULT/Release
Archive: $DIST
Component: main
Origin: pbuilder
Label: pbuilder
Architecture: $ARCH
EOF

fi

# set permissions so I can delete files
chgrp -R sudo $BUILDRESULT
chmod -R g+rwx $BUILDRESULT

export EXTRAPACKAGES="apt-utils"