diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker_linuxes.yml b/.github/workflows/docker_linuxes.yml
index eb787fa..740e8a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker_linuxes.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker_linuxes.yml
@@ -201,3 +201,13 @@ jobs:
   
       - name: Run unit tests (ctest) within the Docker image
         run: docker run ctl:latest sh -c "cd ./build && ctest"  
+
+  ubuntu-openexr2-static:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Build the Docker image
+        run: docker build --no-cache --rm -f ./docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_openexr2_static -t ctl:latest .
+  
+      - name: Run unit tests (ctest) within the Docker image
+        run: docker run ctl:latest sh -c "cd ./build && ctest"  
diff --git a/.github/workflows/mac_release_static.yml b/.github/workflows/mac_release_static.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6012ee4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/mac_release_static.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+name: macOS-Release-shared
+
+on:
+  push:
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'doc/**'
+  pull_request:
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'doc/**'
+
+env:
+  # Customize the CMake build type here (Release, Debug, RelWithDebInfo, etc.)
+  BUILD_TYPE: Release
+
+jobs:
+
+  build-openexr2:
+
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+
+    steps:
+
+    # - name: uninstall openexr 
+    #   run:  brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies openexr 
+
+    # - name: uninstall imath 
+    #   run:  brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies imath
+
+    - name: install dependencies - openexr v2.5
+      run:  |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr.git &&
+        cd openexr &&
+        git checkout RB-2.5 &&
+        mkdir build &&
+        cd build &&
+        cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF .. &&
+        make &&
+        sudo make install
+
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      # Configure CMake in a 'build' subdirectory. `CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE` is only required if you are using a single-configuration generator such as make.
+      # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/variable/CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE.html?highlight=cmake_build_type
+      run: cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+
+    - name: Build
+      # Build your program with the given configuration
+      run: cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
+  
+  build-openexr3:
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+
+    steps:
+
+    - name: install dependencies - imath
+      run:  |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/Imath.git &&
+        cd Imath &&
+        mkdir build &&
+        cd build &&
+        cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF .. &&
+        make &&
+        sudo make install
+
+    - name: install dependencies - openexr v3.1
+      run:  |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr.git &&
+        cd openexr &&
+        git checkout RB-3.1 &&
+        mkdir build &&
+        cd build &&
+        cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF .. &&
+        make &&
+        sudo make install
+
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      # Configure CMake in a 'build' subdirectory. `CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE` is only required if you are using a single-configuration generator such as make.
+      # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/variable/CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE.html?highlight=cmake_build_type
+      run: cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+
+    - name: Build
+      # Build your program with the given configuration
+      run: cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
+
+  test-openexr2:
+
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+
+    steps:
+
+    # - name: uninstall openexr 
+    #   run:  brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies openexr 
+
+    # - name: uninstall imath 
+    #   run:  brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies imath
+
+    - name: install dependencies - openexr v2.5
+      run:  |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr.git &&
+        cd openexr &&
+        git checkout RB-2.5 &&
+        mkdir build &&
+        cd build &&
+        cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF .. &&
+        make &&
+        sudo make install
+
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      # Configure CMake in a 'build' subdirectory. `CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE` is only required if you are using a single-configuration generator such as make.
+      # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/variable/CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE.html?highlight=cmake_build_type
+      run: cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+
+    - name: Build
+      # Build your program with the given configuration
+      run: cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} 
+
+    - name: Install
+      run: sudo cmake --install ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} 
+    
+    - name: Test
+      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
+      # Execute tests defined by the CMake configuration.  
+      # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/ctest.1.html for more detail
+      run: ctest -V --output-on-failure 
+  
+  test-openexr3:
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+
+    steps:
+
+    - name: install dependencies - imath
+      run:  |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/Imath.git &&
+        cd Imath &&
+        mkdir build &&
+        cd build &&
+        cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF .. &&
+        make &&
+        sudo make install
+
+    - name: install dependencies - openexr v3.1
+      run:  |
+        cd ..
+        git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr.git &&
+        cd openexr &&
+        git checkout RB-3.1 &&
+        mkdir build &&
+        cd build &&
+        cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF .. &&
+        make &&
+        sudo make install
+
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Configure CMake
+      # Configure CMake in a 'build' subdirectory. `CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE` is only required if you are using a single-configuration generator such as make.
+      # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/variable/CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE.html?highlight=cmake_build_type
+      run: cmake -B ${{github.workspace}}/build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+
+    - name: Build
+      # Build your program with the given configuration
+      run: cmake --build ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}} 
+
+    - name: Install
+      run: sudo cmake --install ${{github.workspace}}/build --config ${{env.BUILD_TYPE}}
+    
+    - name: Test
+      working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}/build
+      # Execute tests defined by the CMake configuration.  
+      # See https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/ctest.1.html for more detail
+      run: ctest -V --output-on-failure 
+
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 28fae87..7d1eb11 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,6 +44,20 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE AND NOT CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES)
     "Debug" "Release" "MinSizeRel" "RelWithDebInfo")
 endif()
 
+# ZLIB is automatically added by OpenEXR 3.x but needs to be added for OpenEXR 2.x
+find_package(ZLIB)
+if(TARGET ZLIB::ZLIB)
+	message( STATUS "found ZLIB" )
+	message( STATUS "	ZLIB_VERSION : ${ZLIB_VERSION}" )
+	message( STATUS "	ZLIB_INCLUDE_DIRS : ${ZLIB_INCLUDE_DIRS}" )
+	message( STATUS "	ZLIB_LIBRARIES : ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES}" )
+	message( STATUS "	ZLIB_INCLUDE_DIR : ${ZLIB_INCLUDE_DIR}" )
+	message( STATUS "	ZLIB_LIBRARY : ${ZLIB_LIBRARY}" )
+else()
+  message( STATUS "ZLIB was not found")
+  message( STAUTS " ZLIB is automatically linked when using OpenEXR 3.x but CTL needs to link to ZLIB if using OpenEXR 2.x" )
+endif()
+
 find_package(OpenEXR 3 CONFIG QUIET)
 if(OpenEXR_FOUND)
   message(STATUS "Found OpenEXR ${OpenEXR_VERSION}")
diff --git a/OpenEXR_CTL/exr_ctl_exr/CMakeLists.txt b/OpenEXR_CTL/exr_ctl_exr/CMakeLists.txt
index 6750a36..8162dd7 100644
--- a/OpenEXR_CTL/exr_ctl_exr/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/OpenEXR_CTL/exr_ctl_exr/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ target_link_libraries (exr_ctl_exr
           $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Half>:IlmBase::Half>
           $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::IlmThread>:IlmBase::IlmThread>
           $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Iex>:IlmBase::Iex>
+        # ZLIB for OpenEXR 2.x:
+	  	    $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:ZLIB::ZLIB>:ZLIB::ZLIB>
     )
 #target_link_libraries( exr_ctl_exr ${IlmBase_LIBRARIES} ${IlmBase_LDFLAGS_OTHER} )
 #target_link_libraries( exr_ctl_exr ${OpenEXR_LIBRARIES} ${OpenEXR_LDFLAGS_OTHER} )
diff --git a/OpenEXR_CTL/exrdpx/CMakeLists.txt b/OpenEXR_CTL/exrdpx/CMakeLists.txt
index ec3acf7..019017f 100644
--- a/OpenEXR_CTL/exrdpx/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/OpenEXR_CTL/exrdpx/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ target_link_libraries (exrdpx
           $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Half>:IlmBase::Half>
           $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::IlmThread>:IlmBase::IlmThread>
           $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Iex>:IlmBase::Iex>
+        # ZLIB for OpenEXR 2.x:
+	  	    $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:ZLIB::ZLIB>:ZLIB::ZLIB>
     )
 #target_link_libraries( exrdpx ${IlmBase_LIBRARIES} ${IlmBase_LDFLAGS_OTHER} )
 #target_link_libraries( exrdpx ${OpenEXR_LIBRARIES} ${OpenEXR_LDFLAGS_OTHER} )
diff --git a/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt b/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
index fc433db..e6917d8 100644
--- a/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ctlrender/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ target_link_libraries(ctlrender
 		$<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Half>:IlmBase::Half>
 		$<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::IlmThread>:IlmBase::IlmThread>
 		$<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Iex>:IlmBase::Iex>
+	  # ZLIB for OpenEXR 2.x:
+	  	$<$<TARGET_EXISTS:ZLIB::ZLIB>:ZLIB::ZLIB>
 )
 
 if( OpenEXR_FOUND )
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_openexr2_static b/docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_openexr2_static
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db8af9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile_ubuntu_22.04_openexr2_static
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+FROM ubuntu:22.04
+
+RUN apt-get update
+
+# disable interactive install 
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND noninteractive
+
+# install developement tools
+RUN apt-get -y install cmake
+RUN apt-get -y install g++
+RUN apt-get -y install git
+
+# install CTL dependencies
+#RUN apt-get -y install libopenexr-dev
+#RUN apt-get -y install libtiff-dev
+
+# install CTL dependencies - zlib
+RUN apt-get -y install zlib1g-dev
+
+# install CTL dependecies - openexr
+WORKDIR /usr/src/
+RUN git clone https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/openexr.git
+WORKDIR /usr/src/openexr
+RUN git checkout RB-2.5 
+WORKDIR /usr/src/openexr/build
+RUN cmake ..  -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF -DOPENEXR_BUILD_TOOLS=OFF -DOPENEXR_INSTALL_EXAMPLES=OFF
+RUN make
+RUN make install
+
+# build CTL
+WORKDIR /usr/src/CTL
+COPY . .
+WORKDIR /usr/src/CTL/build
+RUN rm -R * || true
+RUN cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF ..
+RUN make
+RUN make install
+
+# add /usr/local/lib to the LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+# ENV LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/lib
+
+# finalize docker environment
+WORKDIR /usr/src/CTL
+
diff --git a/unittest/IlmImfCtl/CMakeLists.txt b/unittest/IlmImfCtl/CMakeLists.txt
index b9b33b7..71de5dc 100644
--- a/unittest/IlmImfCtl/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittest/IlmImfCtl/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ target_link_libraries( IlmImfCtlTest
       $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Half>:IlmBase::Half>
       $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::IlmThread>:IlmBase::IlmThread>
       $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:IlmBase::Iex>:IlmBase::Iex>
+    # ZLIB for OpenEXR 2.x:
+      $<$<TARGET_EXISTS:ZLIB::ZLIB>:ZLIB::ZLIB>
 )
 
 add_test( IlmImfCtl IlmImfCtlTest )