diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a552334fb49380169480e1684059dae63f873b28..57b7b0b96ed67bf36c09621680d06e997a4eb688 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15..3.20 FATAL_ERROR)
 
 project(VirtualFluids CXX)
 
+if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+endif()
+message(STATUS "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE: ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}")
+
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 
@@ -86,14 +91,11 @@ if(BUILD_VF_GPU)
         message(FATAL_ERROR "CUDA Compiler was requested but is not found on the system.")
     endif()
 
-
     set(CMAKE_CUDA_STANDARD 17)
-
     set(CMAKE_CUDA_STANDARD_REQUIRED TRUE)
 
     enable_language(CUDA)
 
-
     if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES)
         message(WARNING "CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES was not defined and is set to 30 (CUDA support until 10.1 only).")
         set(CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES 30)
@@ -101,7 +103,6 @@ if(BUILD_VF_GPU)
 
 
     if(BUILD_CUDA_LTO)
-        
        if(CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES LESS 50)
             message(FATAL_ERROR "CUDA Link time optimization requires CUDA 11.2 and CC 5.0.")
        else()
@@ -116,8 +117,8 @@ if(BUILD_VF_GPU)
 
     set(CMAKE_CUDA_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CUDA_FLAGS} --extended-lambda")
 
-    message("CMAKE_CUDA_FLAGS: ${CMAKE_CUDA_FLAGS}")
-    message("CUDA Architecture: ${CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES}")
+    message(STATUS "CMAKE_CUDA_FLAGS: ${CMAKE_CUDA_FLAGS}")
+    message(STATUS "CUDA Architecture: ${CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES}")
 endif()