diff --git a/cmake/bashrc b/cmake/bashrc
index e905df58..50c62d8b 100644
--- a/cmake/bashrc
+++ b/cmake/bashrc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export pFlow_SRC_DIR="$pFlow_PROJECT_DIR/src"
 
 export Kokkos_DIR="$kokkosDir"
 
-export Zoltan_DIR="$projectDir/Zoltan"
+#export Zoltan_DIR="$projectDir/Zoltan"
 
 # Cleanup variables (done as final statement for a clean exit code)
 unset projectDir
diff --git a/cmake/zoltanInstallCheck.cmake b/cmake/zoltanInstallCheck.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d0e6d8db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/zoltanInstallCheck.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Macro to check for Zoltan installation and build it if needed
+# Usage: zoltan_find_or_build(ZOLTAN_DIR)
+# Returns: ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR, ZOLTAN_LIBRARY
+
+macro(zoltan_find_or_build ZOLTAN_DIR)
+    # Set the Zoltan directory
+    set(ZOLTAN_PREFIX "${ZOLTAN_DIR}" CACHE STRING "Zoltan install directory")
+    message(STATUS "Zoltan install directory is ${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}")
+
+    # Check if the Zoltan library is already built
+    find_path(ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR zoltan.h PATHS "${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/include")
+    message(STATUS "Zoltan include path: ${ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+
+    find_library(ZOLTAN_LIBRARY zoltan PATHS "${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/lib")
+    message(STATUS "Zoltan lib path: ${ZOLTAN_LIBRARY}")
+    
+    # Check if Zoltan library exists, if not compile it using buildlib script
+    if(NOT ZOLTAN_LIBRARY)
+        message(STATUS "Zoltan library not found. Compiling from source using buildlib script...")
+
+        # Execute the buildlib bash script
+        execute_process(
+            COMMAND bash ${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/buildlib
+            WORKING_DIRECTORY ${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}
+            RESULT_VARIABLE ZOLTAN_BUILD_RESULT
+            OUTPUT_VARIABLE ZOLTAN_BUILD_OUTPUT
+            ERROR_VARIABLE ZOLTAN_BUILD_ERROR
+        )
+
+        if(NOT ZOLTAN_BUILD_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to build Zoltan library using buildlib script. Error: ${ZOLTAN_BUILD_ERROR}")
+        endif()
+
+        # Try to find the library again after building
+        find_library(ZOLTAN_LIBRARY zoltan PATHS "${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/lib" NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
+        find_path(ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR zoltan.h PATHS "${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/include" NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
+
+        if(NOT ZOLTAN_LIBRARY)
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "Failed to locate Zoltan library after building")
+        endif()
+
+        message(STATUS "Successfully built Zoltan library at ${ZOLTAN_LIBRARY}")
+    endif()
+endmacro()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/phasicFlow/CMakeLists.txt b/src/phasicFlow/CMakeLists.txt
index db66642e..5af3b7dd 100644
--- a/src/phasicFlow/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/phasicFlow/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 list(APPEND SourceFiles 
 types/basicTypes/bTypesFunctions.cpp
 types/basicTypes/Logical.cpp
@@ -119,35 +118,27 @@ set(link_libs)
 set(link_libs Kokkos::kokkos tbb)
 	
 
-
+# for MPI parallelization
 if(pFlow_Build_MPI)
 
-	set(Zoltan_Install_DIR)
-	if(DEFINED ENV{Zoltan_DIR})
-	   set(Zoltan_Install_DIR $ENV{Zoltan_DIR})
-	else()
-	  set(Zoltan_Install_DIR $ENV{HOME}/PhasicFlow/Zoltan)
-	endif()
-	message(STATUS "Zoltan install directory is ${Zoltan_Install_DIR}")
-
-	set(ZOLTAN_PREFIX "${Zoltan_Install_DIR}" CACHE STRING "Zoltan install directory")
-
-	find_path(ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR zoltan.h PATHS "${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/include")
-
-	message(STATUS "Zoltan include path: ${ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR}")
-
-	find_library(ZOLTAN_LIBRARY zoltan PATHS "${ZOLTAN_PREFIX}/lib")
-	message(STATUS "Zoltan lib path: ${ZOLTAN_LIBRARY}")
+	# Include the Zoltan installation check macro
+	include(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/zoltanInstallCheck.cmake)
+	
+	# set the Zoltan Directory and check/build if needed
+	set(Zoltan_Install_DIR ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/thirdParty/Zoltan)
+	
+	# Call the macro to find or build Zoltan
+	zoltan_find_or_build(${Zoltan_Install_DIR})
 	
 	list(APPEND SourceFiles
-	MPIParallelization/domain/partitioning/partitioning.cpp 
-	MPIParallelization/domain/partitioning/rcb1DPartitioning.cpp
-	MPIParallelization/domain/MPISimulationDomain.cpp
-    MPIParallelization/dataIOMPI/dataIOMPIs.cpp
-    MPIParallelization/MPI/procCommunication.cpp
-    MPIParallelization/MPI/scatteredMasterDistributeChar.cpp
-	MPIParallelization/pointStructure/boundaries/boundaryProcessor.cpp
-	MPIParallelization/pointField/processorBoundaryFields.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/domain/partitioning/partitioning.cpp 
+		MPIParallelization/domain/partitioning/rcb1DPartitioning.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/domain/MPISimulationDomain.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/dataIOMPI/dataIOMPIs.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/MPI/procCommunication.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/MPI/scatteredMasterDistributeChar.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/pointStructure/boundaries/boundaryProcessor.cpp
+		MPIParallelization/pointField/processorBoundaryFields.cpp
 	)
 	
 	list(APPEND link_libs MPI::MPI_CXX ${ZOLTAN_LIBRARY} -lm )
@@ -155,8 +146,10 @@ if(pFlow_Build_MPI)
 	target_include_directories(phasicFlow PUBLIC ./globals ${ZOLTAN_INCLUDE_DIR})
 
 else()
-	pFlow_add_library_install(phasicFlow SourceFiles link_libs)
+	
+pFlow_add_library_install(phasicFlow SourceFiles link_libs)
 	target_include_directories(phasicFlow PUBLIC ./globals)
+
 endif()