diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8fb6ec6..41e96c2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ env:
   CTEST_NO_TESTS_ACTION: error
   CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
   CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 0
+  CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX: ~/libs
+  CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH: ~/libs
 
 on:
   push:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_build.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_build.yml
index 7fca5b0..fa755ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_build.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 name: ci_build
 
 env:
-  CMAKE_GENERATOR: Ninja
   CTEST_NO_TESTS_ACTION: error
+  CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
+  CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 0
+  CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX: ~/libs
+  CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH: ~/libs
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -21,10 +24,10 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install prereqs
       run: |
         sudo apt update
-        sudo apt install --no-install-recommends ninja-build libopenmpi-dev openmpi-bin
+        sudo apt install --no-install-recommends libopenmpi-dev openmpi-bin
 
     - name: configure
-      run: cmake --preset default --install-prefix=${{ runner.temp }}
+      run: cmake --preset default
 
     - name: build, test release
       run: cmake --workflow --preset default
@@ -33,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
 
 # builds fine on local machine
     # - name: configure example
-    #   run: cmake -S example -B example/build -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH:PATH=${{ runner.temp }} -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS:BOOL=${{ matrix.shared }}
+    #   run: cmake -S example -B example/build -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS:BOOL=${{ matrix.shared }}
     # - name: build example
     #   run: cmake --build example/build
     # - name: test example
diff --git a/.github/workflows/oneapi-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/oneapi-linux.yml
index a0bb7ac..3918759 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/oneapi-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/oneapi-linux.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ env:
   FC: ifx
   CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE: Release
   CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
+  CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX: ~/libs
+  CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH: ~/libs
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -62,7 +64,6 @@ jobs:
       run: >-
         cmake --preset default
         -Dintsize64=${{ matrix.int64 }}
-        -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${{ runner.temp }}
 
     - name: print config log CMake
       run: cat build/CMakeFiles/CMakeConfigureLog.yaml
@@ -82,7 +83,6 @@ jobs:
         cmake
         -S example
         -B example/build
-        -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=${{ runner.temp }}
 
     - name: print config log
       if: ${{ failure() }}
diff --git a/Readme_oneapi.md b/Readme_oneapi.md
index 980a60d..e593d5c 100644
--- a/Readme_oneapi.md
+++ b/Readme_oneapi.md
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@
 We require
 [oneMKL >= 2021.3](https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/docs/onemkl/developer-guide-linux/2023-2/cmake-config-for-onemkl.html).
 
-We recommend using Ninja generator with oneAPI (and any other) compiler:
-
-```sh
-cmake -G Ninja -B build
-```
-
 Do not try to build LAPACK and ScaLAPACK with oneAPI, the build will fail--use the oneMKL libraries that provide LAPACK and SCALAPACK.
 
 ## Linux
@@ -23,7 +17,7 @@ If the oneAPI compiler is not found by CMake, try hinting its location like:
 export CC=$CMPLR_ROOT/bin/icx
 export FC=$CMPLR_ROOT/bin/ifx
 
-cmake -G Ninja -B build
+cmake -B build
 ```
 
 ## Windows
diff --git a/options.cmake b/options.cmake
index 9f684cd..bf2fd98 100644
--- a/options.cmake
+++ b/options.cmake
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.21)
   get_property(not_top DIRECTORY PROPERTY PARENT_DIRECTORY)
   if(NOT not_top)
     set(${PROJECT_NAME}_IS_TOP_LEVEL true)
- endif()
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 option(${PROJECT_NAME}_BUILD_TESTING "Build tests" ${${PROJECT_NAME}_IS_TOP_LEVEL})
@@ -57,3 +57,8 @@ option(CMAKE_TLS_VERIFY "Verify TLS certificates" ON)
 set_property(DIRECTORY PROPERTY EP_UPDATE_DISCONNECTED true)
 
 set(FETCHCONTENT_UPDATES_DISCONNECTED true)
+
+# this is for convenience of those needing scalapaack, lapack built
+if(${${PROJECT_NAME}_IS_TOP_LEVEL} AND CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX_INITIALIZED_TO_DEFAULT)
+  set_property(CACHE CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX PROPERTY VALUE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/local")
+endif()
diff --git a/scripts/build_metis.cmake b/scripts/build_metis.cmake
index d173121..ac59472 100644
--- a/scripts/build_metis.cmake
+++ b/scripts/build_metis.cmake
@@ -8,5 +8,8 @@ option(intsize64 "use 64-bit integers in C and Fortran--METIS must be consistent
 set(target "metis")
 
 set(args -Dintsize64:BOOL=${intsize64})
+if(prefix)
+  list(APPEND args -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH=${prefix})
+endif()
 
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/run_cmake.cmake)
diff --git a/scripts/build_scotch.cmake b/scripts/build_scotch.cmake
index fd6ecf1..6533653 100644
--- a/scripts/build_scotch.cmake
+++ b/scripts/build_scotch.cmake
@@ -8,5 +8,8 @@ option(intsize64 "use 64-bit integers in C and Fortran--Scotch must be consisten
 set(target "scotch")
 
 set(args -Dintsize64:BOOL=${intsize64})
+if(prefix)
+  list(APPEND args -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH=${prefix})
+endif()
 
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/run_cmake.cmake)
diff --git a/scripts/run_cmake.cmake b/scripts/run_cmake.cmake
index bb82155..4cd03ac 100644
--- a/scripts/run_cmake.cmake
+++ b/scripts/run_cmake.cmake
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-if(NOT prefix)
-  set(prefix ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/build_${target})
-endif()
-
 if(NOT bindir)
   include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/mkdtemp.cmake)
 endif()
@@ -10,21 +6,16 @@ execute_process(
   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
   -B${bindir}
   -S${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}
-  ${args} -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH=${prefix}
+  ${args}
   RESULT_VARIABLE ret
 )
 
-# avoid overloading CPU/RAM with extreme GNU Make --parallel
-cmake_host_system_information(RESULT N QUERY NUMBER_OF_PHYSICAL_CORES)
-
-if(ret EQUAL 0)
-  message(STATUS "${target} build with ${N} workers")
-else()
+if(NOT ret EQUAL 0)
   message(FATAL_ERROR "${target} failed to configure.")
 endif()
 
 execute_process(
-COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build ${bindir} --parallel ${N} --target ${target}
+COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build ${bindir} --target ${target}
 RESULT_VARIABLE ret
 )
 
diff --git a/scripts/test_shared.cmake b/scripts/test_shared.cmake
index 3a4ac91..e4cfc0c 100644
--- a/scripts/test_shared.cmake
+++ b/scripts/test_shared.cmake
@@ -5,12 +5,11 @@ include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/tempdir.cmake)
 if(NOT bindir)
   get_temp_dir(bindir)
 endif()
-if(NOT prefix)
-  get_temp_dir(prefix)
-endif()
+
+get_temp_dir(prefix)
 
 message(STATUS "binary_dir: ${bindir}
-prefix: ${prefix}")
+temp install dir: ${prefix}")
 
 execute_process(
 COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}