diff --git a/buildconfig/Jenkins/buildscript.bat b/buildconfig/Jenkins/buildscript.bat
index 912a7210aa6fd5b64c9b24c5cc1374737a96902b..aa65e1f79c4bf54d325ebe480c8084825863ceb5 100755
--- a/buildconfig/Jenkins/buildscript.bat
+++ b/buildconfig/Jenkins/buildscript.bat
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 call cmake.exe --version
 echo %sha1%
-set VS_VERSION=14
 
 :: Find the grep tool for later
 for /f "delims=" %%I in ('where git') do @set GIT_EXE_DIR=%%~dpI
@@ -24,7 +23,11 @@ set GREP_EXE=%GIT_ROOT_DIR%\usr\bin\grep.exe
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 :: Source the VS setup script
 set VS_VERSION=14
-call "%VS140COMNTOOLS%\..\..\VC\vcvarsall.bat" amd64
+:: 8.1 is backwards compatible with Windows 7. It allows us to target Windows 7
+:: when building on newer versions of Windows. This value must be supplied
+:: externally and cannot be supplied in the cmake configuration
+set SDK_VERSION=8.1
+call "%VS140COMNTOOLS%\..\..\VC\vcvarsall.bat" amd64 %SDK_VERSION%
 set CM_GENERATOR=Visual Studio 14 2015 Win64
 set PARAVIEW_DIR=%PARAVIEW_NEXT_DIR%
 
@@ -127,7 +130,7 @@ if not "%JOB_NAME%"=="%JOB_NAME:debug=%" (
 ) else (
   set VATES_OPT_VAL=ON
 )
-call cmake.exe -G "%CM_GENERATOR%" -DCONSOLE=OFF -DENABLE_CPACK=ON -DMAKE_VATES=%VATES_OPT_VAL% -DParaView_DIR=%PARAVIEW_DIR% -DMANTID_DATA_STORE=!MANTID_DATA_STORE! -DUSE_PRECOMPILED_HEADERS=ON -DENABLE_FILE_LOGGING=OFF %PACKAGE_OPTS% ..
+call cmake.exe -G "%CM_GENERATOR%" -DCMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION=%SDK_VERSION% -DCONSOLE=OFF -DENABLE_CPACK=ON -DMAKE_VATES=%VATES_OPT_VAL% -DParaView_DIR=%PARAVIEW_DIR% -DMANTID_DATA_STORE=!MANTID_DATA_STORE! -DUSE_PRECOMPILED_HEADERS=ON -DENABLE_FILE_LOGGING=OFF %PACKAGE_OPTS% ..
 if ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /B %ERRORLEVEL%
 
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::