diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f2bbd4e2..c39d9dfb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ option( USE_CCACHE       "use ccache")
 
 option( USE_SUPERBUILD       "use ccache" ON)
 
+set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/cmake_modules")
+
 if (USE_SUPERBUILD)
   project (SUPERBUILD)
   # execute the superbuild (this script will be invoked again without the
   # USE_SUPERBUILD option this time)
-  include (cmake_modules/SuperBuild.cmake)
+  include (cmake/SuperBuild.cmake)
   return()                      # stop processing this file further
 else()
   project(Netgen)
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ endif(USE_NATIVE_ARCH)
 #######################################################################
 if(INTEL_MIC)
     set(MKL_ARCH "mic")
-    include(cmake_modules/mic.cmake)
+    include(cmake/mic.cmake)
 else(INTEL_MIC)
     set(MKL_ARCH "intel64")
 endif(INTEL_MIC)
@@ -94,7 +96,6 @@ include_directories ("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/libsrc/include")
 include_directories ("${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}")
 
 set(CMAKE_INCLUDE_CURRENT_DIR ON)
-set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules")
 
 set(INCDIR include CACHE PATH "install directory for header files")
 if(APPLE)
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ endif(INSTALL_PROFILES)
 
 #######################################################################
 file(WRITE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/fixup.cmake "\
-include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/netgen_fixup.cmake)
+include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/netgen_fixup.cmake)
 set(APP ${INSTALL_DIR})
 message(\${APP})
 set(BU_CHMOD_BUNDLE_ITEMS ON)
@@ -366,13 +367,13 @@ endif()
 #######################################################################
 # uninstall target
 configure_file(
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/cmake_uninstall.cmake.in"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/cmake_uninstall.cmake.in"
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake_uninstall.cmake"
     IMMEDIATE @ONLY)
 add_custom_target(uninstall
     COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake_uninstall.cmake)
 
-configure_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
+configure_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/NetgenConfig.cmake @ONLY)
 
 install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/NetgenConfig.cmake DESTINATION share/cmake)
diff --git a/cmake_modules/NetgenConfig.cmake.in b/cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
rename to cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
diff --git a/cmake_modules/SuperBuild.cmake b/cmake/SuperBuild.cmake
similarity index 93%
rename from cmake_modules/SuperBuild.cmake
rename to cmake/SuperBuild.cmake
index 1ad75ca2..f77638f1 100644
--- a/cmake_modules/SuperBuild.cmake
+++ b/cmake/SuperBuild.cmake
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ set (NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES)
 set (LAPACK_DEPENDENCIES)
 set (NETGEN_CMAKE_ARGS "" CACHE INTERNAL "")
 
-set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules")
-
 macro(set_vars VAR_OUT)
   foreach(varname ${ARGN})
     if(NOT "${${varname}}" STREQUAL "")
@@ -105,9 +103,19 @@ endif(USE_OCC AND WIN32 AND NOT OCC_INCLUDE_DIR)
 #######################################################################
 
 if(USE_GUI)
-  include(cmake_modules/ExternalProject_TCLTK.cmake)
+  include(cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake)
 endif(USE_GUI)
 
+#######################################################################
+if(USE_MPI)
+  find_package(METIS QUIET)
+  if(NOT METIS_FOUND)
+    message(STATUS "Could not find METIS, it will be built from source")
+    include(cmake/external_projects/metis.cmake)
+  endif()
+endif(USE_MPI)
+
+
 #######################################################################
 # propagate cmake variables to Netgen subproject
 set_vars( NETGEN_CMAKE_ARGS
@@ -164,14 +172,14 @@ ExternalProject_Add (netgen
 # Check if the git submodules (i.e. pybind11) are up to date
 # in case, something is wrong, emit a warning but continue
  ExternalProject_Add_Step(netgen check_submodules
-   COMMAND cmake -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/check_submodules.cmake
+   COMMAND cmake -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/check_submodules.cmake
    DEPENDERS install # Steps on which this step depends
    )
 
 # Due to 'ALWAYS 1', this step is always run which also forces a build of
 # the Netgen subproject
  ExternalProject_Add_Step(netgen check_submodules1
-   COMMAND cmake -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/check_submodules.cmake
+   COMMAND cmake -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/check_submodules.cmake
    DEPENDEES configure # Steps on which this step depends
    DEPENDERS build     # Steps that depend on this step
    ALWAYS 1            # No stamp file, step always runs
diff --git a/cmake_modules/check_submodules.cmake b/cmake/check_submodules.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/check_submodules.cmake
rename to cmake/check_submodules.cmake
diff --git a/cmake_modules/FindFFMPEG.cmake b/cmake/cmake_modules/FindFFMPEG.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/FindFFMPEG.cmake
rename to cmake/cmake_modules/FindFFMPEG.cmake
diff --git a/cmake_modules/FindMETIS.cmake b/cmake/cmake_modules/FindMETIS.cmake
similarity index 83%
rename from cmake_modules/FindMETIS.cmake
rename to cmake/cmake_modules/FindMETIS.cmake
index b0b12d62..81d8dc2e 100644
--- a/cmake_modules/FindMETIS.cmake
+++ b/cmake/cmake_modules/FindMETIS.cmake
@@ -49,14 +49,8 @@ if (METIS_INCLUDE_DIR)
             NAMES ${metis_inc_names}
             HINTS ${METIS_INCLUDE_DIR}
             NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
-if(NOT metis_test_include_path)
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Can not locate ${metis_inc_names} in ${METIS_INCLUDE_DIR}")
-endif()
     set(METIS_INCLUDE_DIR "${metis_test_include_path}")
-else()
-    message(SEND_ERROR "METIS_INCLUDE_DIR=${METIS_INCLUDE_DIR} does not exist")
-    set(METIS_INCLUDE_DIR "METIS_INCLUDE_DIR-NOTFOUND")
-    endif()
+endif()
 else() 
 # Metis sometimes puts the include files in a subdir called Lib
     set(metis_inc_suffixes "include" "Lib")
@@ -67,19 +61,13 @@ if(METIS_DIR)
             HINTS ${METIS_DIR}
             PATH_SUFFIXES ${metis_inc_suffixes}
             NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
-else()
-    message(SEND_ERROR "METIS_DIR=${METIS_DIR} does not exist")
-    set(METIS_INCLUDE_DIR "METIS_INCLUDE_DIR-NOTFOUND")
-    endif()   
+    endif()
 else()
     find_path(METIS_INCLUDE_DIR
             NAMES ${metis_inc_names}
             PATH_SUFFIXES ${metis_inc_suffixes})
     endif()
     endif()
-if ( NOT METIS_INCLUDE_DIR )
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Can not locate METIS include directory")
-endif()
 # Search for libraries
 # Search order preference:
 #  (1) METIS_LIBRARY_DIR - check existence of path AND if the library file exists
@@ -93,9 +81,6 @@ if (METIS_LIBRARY_DIR)
             NAMES ${metis_lib_names}
             HINTS ${METIS_LIBRARY_DIR}
             NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
-else()
-    message(SEND_ERROR "METIS_LIBRARY_DIR=${METIS_LIBRARY_DIR} does not exist")
-    set(METIS_LIBRARY "METIS_LIBRARY-NOTFOUND")
     endif()
 else() 
     list(APPEND metis_lib_suffixes "lib" "Lib")
@@ -106,9 +91,6 @@ if(METIS_DIR)
             HINTS ${METIS_DIR}
             PATH_SUFFIXES ${metis_lib_suffixes}
             NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
-else()
-    message(SEND_ERROR "METIS_DIR=${METIS_DIR} does not exist")
-    set(METISLIBRARY "METIS_LIBRARY-NOTFOUND")
     endif()   
 else()
     find_library(METIS_LIBRARY
@@ -116,9 +98,6 @@ else()
             PATH_SUFFIXES ${metis_lib_suffixes})
     endif()
     endif()
-if ( NOT METIS_LIBRARY )
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Can not locate METIS library")
-endif()   
 
 # Define prerequisite packages
 set(METIS_INCLUDE_DIRS ${METIS_INCLUDE_DIR})
diff --git a/cmake_modules/FindOpenCasCade.cmake b/cmake/cmake_modules/FindOpenCasCade.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/FindOpenCasCade.cmake
rename to cmake/cmake_modules/FindOpenCasCade.cmake
diff --git a/cmake_modules/cmake_uninstall.cmake.in b/cmake/cmake_uninstall.cmake.in
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/cmake_uninstall.cmake.in
rename to cmake/cmake_uninstall.cmake.in
diff --git a/cmake/external_projects/metis.cmake b/cmake/external_projects/metis.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa997e9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/external_projects/metis.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+set(METIS_SRC_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/dependencies/src/project_metis)
+set(METIS_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/dependencies/metis)
+
+ExternalProject_Add(project_metis
+  PREFIX ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/dependencies
+  URL "http://glaros.dtc.umn.edu/gkhome/fetch/sw/metis/metis-5.1.0.tar.gz"
+  URL_MD5 5465e67079419a69e0116de24fce58fe
+  DOWNLOAD_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external_dependencies
+  CMAKE_ARGS
+         -DGKLIB_PATH=${METIS_SRC_DIR}/GKlib
+         -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${METIS_DIR}
+  UPDATE_COMMAND "" # Disable update
+  BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
+  )
+
+set_vars( NETGEN_CMAKE_ARGS METIS_DIR )
+
+list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES project_metis)
diff --git a/cmake/external_projects/parmetis.cmake b/cmake/external_projects/parmetis.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a194e3f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/external_projects/parmetis.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+set(METIS_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/dependencies/src/parmetis/metis)
+set(PARMETIS_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/dependencies/src/parametis)
+ExternalProject_Add(parmetis
+  PREFIX ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/dependencies
+  URL "http://glaros.dtc.umn.edu/gkhome/fetch/sw/parmetis/parmetis-4.0.3.tar.gz"
+  URL_MD5 f69c479586bf6bb7aff6a9bc0c739628
+  CMAKE_CACHE_ARGS -DMETIS_PATH:string=${METIS_DIR} -DGKLIB_PATH:string=${METIS_DIR}/GKlib
+  DOWNLOAD_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external_dependencies
+  UPDATE_COMMAND "" # Disable update
+  BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
+  )
+set_vars( NETGEN_CMAKE_ARGS METIS_DIR )
+
+list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES parmetis)
diff --git a/cmake_modules/ExternalProject_TCLTK.cmake b/cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake
similarity index 92%
rename from cmake_modules/ExternalProject_TCLTK.cmake
rename to cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake
index fe94c840..3582ffc0 100644
--- a/cmake_modules/ExternalProject_TCLTK.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 if(APPLE)
   set(HOME $ENV{HOME})
   set(tcl_prefix ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/../../)
-  ExternalProject_Add(tcl
+  ExternalProject_Add(project_tcl
     URL "http://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/files/Tcl/8.6.4/tcl8.6.4-src.tar.gz"
     URL_MD5 d7cbb91f1ded1919370a30edd1534304
     DOWNLOAD_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external_dependencies
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ if(APPLE)
     LOG_INSTALL 1
     )
 
-  ExternalProject_Add(tk
-    DEPENDS tcl
+  ExternalProject_Add(project_tk
+    DEPENDS project_tcl
     URL "http://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/files/Tcl/8.6.4/tk8.6.4-src.tar.gz"
     URL_MD5 261754d7dc2a582f00e35547777e1fea
     DOWNLOAD_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external_dependencies
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ if(APPLE)
     #LOG_INSTALL 1
     #)
  
-  list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES tcl tk)
+  list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES project_tcl project_tk)
   list(APPEND CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}../Frameworks)
   set(TCL_INCLUDE_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/../Frameworks/Tcl.framework/Headers)
   set(TCL_LIBRARY ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/../Frameworks/Tcl.framework)
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if(APPLE)
 
 elseif(WIN32)
 
-  ExternalProject_Add(win_extlibs
+  ExternalProject_Add(project_win_extlibs
     URL ${EXT_LIBS_DOWNLOAD_URL_WIN}
     UPDATE_COMMAND "" # Disable update
     BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ elseif(WIN32)
     LOG_DOWNLOAD 1
     )
 
-  list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES win_extlibs)
+  list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES project_win_extlibs)
 else(WIN32)
     find_package(TCL 8.5 REQUIRED)
 endif(APPLE)
diff --git a/cmake_modules/mic.cmake b/cmake/mic.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/mic.cmake
rename to cmake/mic.cmake
diff --git a/cmake_modules/netgen_fixup.cmake b/cmake/netgen_fixup.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/netgen_fixup.cmake
rename to cmake/netgen_fixup.cmake
diff --git a/cmake_modules/tk_macosx.patch b/cmake/tk_macosx.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/tk_macosx.patch
rename to cmake/tk_macosx.patch
diff --git a/cmake_modules/tkdnd_macosx.patch b/cmake/tkdnd_macosx.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from cmake_modules/tkdnd_macosx.patch
rename to cmake/tkdnd_macosx.patch