diff --git a/.changeset/mean-llamas-cheat.md b/.changeset/mean-llamas-cheat.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e6dede65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/mean-llamas-cheat.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@lookit/templates": patch
+"@lookit/record": patch
+"@lookit/data": patch
+---
+
+Generate environment file before production build
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index f6a219a6..30b07edb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        node: [18, 20]
+        node: ["18.x", "20.x"]
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install NPM dependencies
         run: npm ci
 
+      - name: Create environment file
+        run: printenv > .env
+        env:
+          DEBUG: "false"
+          LOCAL_DOWNLOAD: "false"
+
       - name: Build packages
         run: npm run build
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4711e2bf..4953a162 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -95,15 +95,21 @@ npm i @jspsych/config -w @lookit/<name of new package>
 
 ## Build all packages
 
-We can use npm workspaces to build all packages.
+First, create a `.env` file at the root of the monorepo. It can contain the
+following for a successful local development build.
 
-First, install dependencies:
+```
+DEBUG=true
+LOCAL_DOWNLOAD=true
+```
+
+Next, we can use npm to install dependencies.
 
 ```
 npm ci
 ```
 
-Build all packages:
+Then, build all packages.
 
 ```
 npm run build
diff --git a/packages/data/rollup.config.mjs b/packages/data/rollup.config.mjs
index 010f204b..43981b10 100644
--- a/packages/data/rollup.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/data/rollup.config.mjs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export default makeRollupConfig("chsData").map((config) => {
       // Resolve node dependencies to be used in a browser.
       nodeResolve({ browser: true, preferBuiltins: false }),
       // Add support for .env files
-      dotenv(),
+      dotenv({ cwd: "../../" }),
       ...config.plugins,
     ],
   };
diff --git a/packages/record/rollup.config.mjs b/packages/record/rollup.config.mjs
index d45968af..9bc94497 100644
--- a/packages/record/rollup.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/record/rollup.config.mjs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export default makeRollupConfig("chsRecord").map((config) => {
     plugins: [
       ...config.plugins,
       // Add support for .env files
-      dotenv(),
+      dotenv({ cwd: "../../" }),
       // Add support to import yaml and handlebars files as strings
       importAsString({
         include: ["**/*.yaml", "**/*.hbs"],
diff --git a/packages/templates/rollup.config.mjs b/packages/templates/rollup.config.mjs
index 63119b11..a63d624a 100644
--- a/packages/templates/rollup.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/templates/rollup.config.mjs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export default makeRollupConfig("chsTemplates").map((config) => {
     plugins: [
       ...config.plugins,
       // Add support for .env files
-      dotenv(),
+      dotenv({ cwd: "../../" }),
       // Add support to import yaml and handlebars files as strings
       importAsString({
         include: ["**/*.yaml", "**/*.hbs"],