added a comment - - edited
Just tried latest SVN continuum 1.2.X branch (revision 701309) and got Null pointer when using a custom buildenvironment
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.apache.maven.continuum.release.DefaultContinuumReleaseManager.getEnvironments(DefaultContinuumReleaseManager.java:244)
at org.apache.maven.continuum.release.DefaultContinuumReleaseManager.getReleaseDescriptor(DefaultContinuumReleaseManager.java:293)
at org.apache.maven.continuum.release.DefaultContinuumReleaseManager.prepare(DefaultContinuumReleaseManager.java:115)
at org.apache.maven.continuum.web.action.ReleasePrepareAction.execute(ReleasePrepareAction.java:230)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invokeAction(DefaultActionInvocation.java:358)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invokeActionOnly(DefaultActionInvocation.java:218)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:192)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.doIntercept(DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.java:175)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:86)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.validator.ValidationInterceptor.doIntercept(ValidationInterceptor.java:115)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:86)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.apache.maven.continuum.web.interceptor.ForceContinuumConfigurationInterceptor.intercept(ForceContinuumConfigurationInterceptor.java:72)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
build environment included 1 entry for custom maven 2.0.9 installation
looking at the line with eclipse in debug :
Installation builder = profile.getBuilder();
if ( builder != null )
{
envVars.put( installationService.getEnvVar( InstallationService.MAVEN2_TYPE ), builder.getVarValue() );
}
installationService was was NULL , could found any place where this variable is set 
should i open a new issue ?
Now that we have Continum Profiles, we need the ability to choose one of them to be used during the release process.
From the user list...
If I define a Continuum Profile (CP) [1] for scheduled builds, for
example to build with a different JDK than the one Continuum is
running under, how do I make sure that CP is used when I release the
project?
Under the Project Group Actions, I could argue that choosing a CP and
then clicking Release could be expected to work. But how about the
release icon to the right of each project in the list?
[1] (this is confusing, Maven already has profiles...)