diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index dde066dc2e84ac924b436af72873ce35369e9853..025e865e47a1e1438865c32ee68846bbe2593a08 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -284,6 +284,13 @@ stages:
   - echo "Applying level scaling in scripts/testv using scale=$LEVEL_SCALING"
   - tests/scale_pcm.py ./scripts/testv/ $LEVEL_SCALING
 
+.merge-request-comparison-check: &merge-request-comparison-check
+  - echo "--------------- Running merge-request-comparison-check anchor ---------------"
+  - if [ $zero_errors != 1 ]; then echo "Run errors encountered!"; exit $EXIT_CODE_FAIL; fi
+  - if [ $exit_code -eq 1 ] && [ $non_be_flag == 0 ]; then echo "Non-bitexact cases without non-BE tag encountered!"; exit $EXIT_CODE_FAIL; fi
+  - if [ $exit_code -eq 1 ] && [ $non_be_flag != 0 ]; then echo "Non-bitexact cases with non-BE tag encountered"; exit $EXIT_CODE_NON_BE; fi
+  - exit 0
+
 .update-ltv-repo: &update-ltv-repo
   - cd $LTV_DIR
   - git pull
@@ -309,17 +316,49 @@ stages:
 
 .activate-Werror-linux: &activate-Werror-linux
   - sed -i.bak "s/^# \(CFLAGS += -Werror\)/\1/" Makefile
+  - sed -i.bak "s/# \(set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS \"\${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Werror\")\)/\1/" CMakeLists.txt
 
 .activate-WX-windows: &activate-WX-windows
   - (Get-Content -Path "CMakeLists.txt") -replace '# \(add_compile_options\("\/WX"\)\)', '$1' | Set-Content -Path "CMakeLists.txt"
   - Get-ChildItem -Path "Workspace_msvc" -Filter "*.vcxproj" | ForEach-Object { (Get-Content -Path $_.FullName) -replace '<TreatWarningAsError>false', '<TreatWarningAsError>true' | Set-Content -Path $_.FullName }
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------
+# Job templates
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# When designing templates, try not to use too much inheritance and
+# if multiple templates and extended on, remember that on conflict,
+# latest overwrites the parameter.
+
+# templates for rules
+.rules-basis:
+  rules:
+    - if: $MIRROR_ACCESS_TOKEN # Don't run in the mirror update pipeline (only then MIRROR_ACCESS_TOKEN is defined)
+      when: never
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'schedule' # Don't run in any scheduled pipelines by default (use schedule templates below to enable again for certain conditions)
+      when: never
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'trigger' # Don't run triggered pipeline by default
+      when: never
+    - if: $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == 'test-be-release' # Skip all the normal jobs when testing manually against release codec
+      when: never
+    - if: $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == 'test-long-self-test' # Skip all the normal jobs when testing manually against release codec
+      when: never
+    - if: $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == 'ivas-conformance'
+      when: never
+    - if: $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == 'ivas-conformance-linux'
+      when: never
+    - if: $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == 'check-clipping'
+      when: never
+    - if: $MANUAL_PIPELINE_TYPE == 'test-branch-vs-input-passthrough'
+      when: never
+    - when: on_success
+
 .rules-merge-request:
+  extends: .rules-basis
   rules:
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event'
     - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
       when: never
-    - when: never
 
 .rules-pytest-to-ref-short:
   rules:
@@ -1163,6 +1202,24 @@ build-codec-linux-make:
     - *activate-Werror-linux
     - make -j
 
+build-codec-linux-cmake:
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'web'
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push' && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'merge_request_event' # trigger build job for all MRs
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'schedule'
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == 'push'
+      when: never
+  extends:
+    - .build-job-linux
+  tags:
+    - ivas-basop-linux
+  script:
+    - *print-common-info
+    - *update-scripts-repo
+    - cmake -B cmake-build -G "Unix Makefiles"
+    - cmake --build cmake-build -- -j
+
 # ensure that codec builds on linux with instrumentation active
 build-codec-linux-instrumented-make:
   rules:
@@ -1235,6 +1292,126 @@ build-codec-linux-debugging-make:
     - *activate-debug-mode-info-if-set
     - make -j
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------
+# Test jobs for merge requests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------
+
+split-rendering-smoke-test:
+  extends:
+    - .test-job-linux
+    - .rules-merge-request
+  needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
+  stage: test
+  script:
+    - *print-common-info
+    - *update-scripts-repo
+
+    - make -j
+    - testcase_timeout=10
+    - python3 -m pytest -q -n auto -rA --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/split_rendering/test_split_rendering.py --testcase_timeout=$testcase_timeout
+  artifacts:
+    name: "mr-$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID--sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA--job-$CI_JOB_NAME--results"
+    expire_in: 1 week
+    when: always
+    paths:
+      - report-junit.xml
+    expose_as: "split rendering smoke results"
+    reports:
+      junit:
+        - report-junit.xml
+
+lc3-wrapper-unit-test:
+  extends:
+    - .test-job-linux
+    - .rules-merge-request
+  needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
+  stage: test
+  script:
+    - *print-common-info
+    - *update-scripts-repo
+
+    - cmake -B cmake-build -G "Unix Makefiles" -DCOPY_EXECUTABLES_FROM_BUILD_DIR=true
+    - cmake --build cmake-build -- -j
+    - scripts/split_rendering/lc3plus_basop/ivas_lc3plus_unit_test
+
+# compare split-rendering bitexactness between target and source branch
+split-rendering-pytest-on-merge-request:
+  extends:
+    - .test-job-linux-needs-testv-dir
+    - .rules-merge-request
+  needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
+  # TODO: set reasonable timeout, will most likely take less
+  timeout: "30 minutes"
+  stage: compare
+  script:
+    - *print-common-info
+    - *update-scripts-repo
+    - *get-commits-behind-count
+    - *check-commits-behind-count-in-compare-jobs
+
+    # some helper variables - "|| true" to prevent failures from grep not finding anything
+    # write to temporary file as workaround for failures observed with piping echo
+    - echo $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLE > tmp.txt
+    - non_be_flag=$(grep -c --ignore-case "\[split*[ -]*non[ -]*be\]" tmp.txt) || true
+    # TODO: ref_using_target comes from float repo, but does not apply here - disable for now
+    # - ref_using_target=$(grep -c --ignore-case "\[ref[ -]*using[ -]*target\]" tmp.txt) || true
+    - ref_using_target=0
+
+    # store the current commit hash
+    - source_branch_commit_sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+
+    - *mr-fetch-target-branch
+    - *mr-get-target-commit
+    - git checkout $target_commit
+    - echo "Building reference codec at commit $target_commit"
+
+    # build reference binaries
+    - make -j
+    - mv IVAS_cod IVAS_cod_ref
+    - mv IVAS_dec IVAS_dec_ref
+    - mv IVAS_rend IVAS_rend_ref
+
+    ### If ref_using_target is not set, checkout the source branch to use scripts and input from there
+    - if [ $ref_using_target == 0 ]; then git restore lib_com/options.h; fi # Revert changes back before checking out another branch to avoid conflicts
+    - if [ $ref_using_target == 0 ]; then git checkout $source_branch_commit_sha; fi
+    - exit_code=0
+    - testcase_timeout=60
+    - python3 -m pytest -q --log-level ERROR -n auto -rA --html=report.html --self-contained-html --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/split_rendering/test_split_rendering.py --create_ref --testcase_timeout=$testcase_timeout || exit_code=$?
+
+    # back to source branch
+    - git restore lib_com/options.h # Revert changes back before checking out another branch to avoid conflicts
+    - git checkout $source_branch_commit_sha
+    - make clean
+    - make -j
+
+    ### Run test using scripts and input from main
+    - if [ $ref_using_target == 1 ]; then git restore lib_com/options.h; fi # Revert changes back before checking out another branch to avoid conflicts
+    - if [ $ref_using_target == 1 ]; then git checkout $source_branch_commit_sha; fi
+
+    - comp_args="--mld --ssnr --odg"
+    - echo "$comp_args"    
+
+    # run test
+    - python3 -m pytest -q --log-level ERROR -n auto -rA --html=report.html --self-contained-html --junit-xml=report-junit.xml tests/split_rendering/test_split_rendering.py $comp_args --create_cut --testcase_timeout=$testcase_timeout || exit_code=$?
+    - zero_errors=$(cat report-junit.xml | grep -c 'errors="0"') || true
+
+    - *merge-request-comparison-check
+
+  allow_failure:
+    exit_codes:
+      - 123
+  artifacts:
+    name: "mr-$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID--sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA--job-$CI_JOB_NAME--results"
+    expire_in: 2 week
+    when: always
+    paths:
+      - report-junit.xml
+      - report.html
+    expose_as: "pytest split rendering results"
+    reports:
+      junit:
+        - report-junit.xml
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
 # Short test jobs that run in merge request pipelines
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..adc86288c6d2062591090decdb6954098185c923
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+# CMake file for IVAS
+#
+# Usage with Unix Makefiles (Linux, OS/X):
+#   # create build directory
+#   mkdir build ; cd build
+#   # call CMake to generate build system, e.g. one of the following:
+#   cmake -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ../
+#   cmake -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../
+#   cmake -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -D TARGET_PLATFORM=x86_64 ../
+#   # build project
+#   make -j8
+#
+# Usage with Visual Studio
+#   1) download CMake from https://cmake.org/download/, don't use the Cygwin version!
+#   2.1) build project using IDE
+#        In CMake GUI select the source dir (root of stereo-evs) and a new binary directory
+#        and press "Configure" and "Generate". Then open the Visual Studio solution file generated
+#        in the build directory.
+#   2.2) build project using command line
+#        # create build directory
+#        mkdir build ; cd build
+#        # call CMake to generate build system, e.g. one of the following:
+#        cmake ../
+#        cmake -G "Visual Studio 12 2013" ../
+#        cmake -G "Visual Studio 12 2013 Win64" ../
+#        # open the Visual Studio solution file generated in the build directory
+#        # or build on command line, e.g.:
+#        cmake --build . --config Debug
+#        cmake --build . --config Release
+
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.1)
+
+set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 99)
+
+# configuration options for UNIX
+if(UNIX)
+  set(TARGET_PLATFORM ""  CACHE STRING "i686 / x86_64")
+  set(CLANG           ""  CACHE STRING "1=msan / 2=asan / 3=usan")
+  set(GCOV            OFF CACHE BOOL   "enable GCOV")
+  set(STRIP           OFF CACHE BOOL   "enable STRIP")
+
+  if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Debug" CACHE STRING "")
+  endif()
+  # TARGET_PLATFORM
+  if("${TARGET_PLATFORM}" MATCHES "i386" OR
+     "${TARGET_PLATFORM}" MATCHES "i586" OR
+     "${TARGET_PLATFORM}" MATCHES "i686"
+  )
+    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -m32")
+    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -m32")
+  elseif("${TARGET_PLATFORM}" MATCHES "x86_64")
+    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -m64")
+    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -m64")
+  endif()
+  # C compiler flags
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -ffp-contract=off")  # disable floating point operation contraction
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -pedantic -Wcast-qual -Wall -W -Wextra -Wno-long-long")
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wpointer-arith -Wstrict-prototypes -Wmissing-prototypes")
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wno-unused-parameter")
+  # to be uncommented in CI
+  # set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Werror")
+
+  # CLANG
+  if(CLANG)
+    find_program(clangBin NAMES /home/amm-archiv/soft/Linux/clang/current/bin/clang clang REQUIRED)
+    set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER "${clangBin}" CACHE STRING "")
+    if("${CLANG}" MATCHES "1" OR "${CLANG}" MATCHES "msan")
+      set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -fsanitize=memory")
+      set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -fsanitize=memory")
+    elseif("${CLANG}" MATCHES "2" OR "${CLANG}" MATCHES "asan")
+      set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -fsanitize=address")
+      set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -fsanitize=address")
+    elseif("${CLANG}" MATCHES "3" OR "${CLANG}" MATCHES "usan")
+      # NOTE: keep in sync with list in Makefile
+      set(USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE
+        undefined # Default checks
+        # Extra checks
+        float-divide-by-zero
+        implicit-conversion
+        local-bounds
+      )
+      list(JOIN USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE "," USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE)
+
+      set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -fsanitize=${USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE} -fsanitize-recover=${USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE}")
+      set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -fsanitize=${USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE} -fsanitize-recover=${USAN_CHECKS_ENABLE}")
+    else()
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "Unknown CLANG setting: ${CLANG}")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+  # GCOV
+  if(GCOV)
+    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage -fprofile-update=atomic")
+    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage -fprofile-update=atomic")
+  endif()
+  # STRIP
+  if(STRIP)
+    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections")
+    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -Wl,-gc-sections -static")
+  endif()
+
+  message("CMAKE_C_FLAGS: ${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}")
+  message("CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS: ${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS}")
+  # write settings in CMake cache
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "")
+  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "")
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG   "-O0 -g3" CACHE STRING "")
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O2 -DRELEASE" CACHE STRING "") # TODO should contain -DNDEBUG to disable assert()
+elseif(WIN32)
+  # MSVC compiler flags
+  add_definitions(
+    -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS
+    /MP
+  )
+endif()
+
+# configuration options for all platforms
+set(WMOPS OFF CACHE BOOL "enable WMOPS")
+if(WMOPS)
+  add_definitions("-DWMOPS=1")
+endif()
+
+project(stereo-evs)
+set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY USE_FOLDERS ON) # make Visual Studio projects look nicer
+include(CTest)
+
+file(GLOB libComSrcs "lib_com/*.c")
+file(GLOB libComHeaders "lib_com/*.h")
+add_library(lib_com ${libComSrcs} ${libComHeaders})
+if(UNIX)
+  target_link_libraries(lib_com PRIVATE m)
+endif()
+target_include_directories(lib_com PUBLIC lib_com PRIVATE lib_enc lib_dec lib_rend lib_debug lib_isar)
+target_include_directories(lib_com PRIVATE lib_lc3plus)
+
+file(GLOB libDebugSrcs "lib_debug/*.c")
+file(GLOB libDebugHeaders "lib_debug/*.h")
+add_library(lib_debug ${libDebugSrcs} ${libDebugHeaders})
+target_link_libraries(lib_debug lib_com)
+target_include_directories(lib_debug PUBLIC lib_debug PRIVATE lib_enc lib_dec lib_rend lib_isar)
+
+file(GLOB libEncSrcs "lib_enc/*.c")
+file(GLOB libEncHeaders "lib_enc/*.h")
+add_library(lib_enc ${libEncSrcs} ${libEncHeaders})
+target_link_libraries(lib_enc lib_com lib_debug)
+target_include_directories(lib_enc PUBLIC lib_enc PRIVATE lib_dec lib_rend lib_isar)
+target_include_directories(lib_enc PRIVATE lib_lc3plus)
+
+file(GLOB libLC3plusSrcs "lib_lc3plus/*.c")
+file(GLOB libLC3plusHeaders "lib_lc3plus/*.h")
+add_library(lib_lc3plus ${libLC3plusSrcs} ${libLC3plusHeaders})
+target_include_directories(lib_lc3plus PUBLIC lib_lc3plus PRIVATE lib_com lib_debug)
+
+file(GLOB libRendSrcs "lib_rend/*.c")
+file(GLOB libRendHeaders "lib_rend/*.h")
+
+add_library(lib_rend ${libRendSrcs} ${libRendHeaders})
+target_link_libraries(lib_rend lib_dec lib_com lib_debug) # Todo refactor: This dependency on lib_dec should be removed.
+target_link_libraries(lib_rend lib_lc3plus lib_isar)
+target_include_directories(lib_rend PUBLIC lib_rend PRIVATE lib_enc lib_isar)
+
+
+file(GLOB libDecSrcs "lib_dec/*.c")
+file(GLOB libDecHeaders "lib_dec/*.h")
+add_library(lib_dec ${libDecSrcs} ${libDecHeaders})
+target_link_libraries(lib_dec lib_com lib_rend lib_debug lib_isar)
+target_include_directories(lib_dec PUBLIC lib_dec lib_rend PRIVATE lib_enc lib_isar)
+
+file(GLOB libUtilSrcs "lib_util/*.c")
+file(GLOB libUtilHeaders "lib_util/*.h")
+add_library(lib_util ${libUtilSrcs} ${libUtilHeaders})
+target_include_directories(lib_util PUBLIC lib_util PRIVATE lib_com lib_enc lib_dec lib_rend lib_debug)
+target_include_directories(lib_util PRIVATE lib_lc3plus lib_isar)
+
+if(NOT WMOPS)
+  add_executable(ivas_lc3plus_unit_test ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/split_rendering/lc3plus_basop/ivas_lc3plus_unit_test.c)
+  target_link_libraries(ivas_lc3plus_unit_test lib_rend lib_dec lib_util lib_com lib_debug lib_isar)
+endif()
+
+file(GLOB libISARSrcs "lib_isar/*.c")
+file(GLOB libISARHeaders "lib_isar/*.h")
+
+add_library(lib_isar ${libISARSrcs} ${libISARHeaders})
+target_link_libraries(lib_isar lib_com lib_debug lib_lc3plus) # Todo refactor: This dependency on lib_dec should be removed.
+target_include_directories(lib_isar PUBLIC lib_isar PRIVATE lib_enc lib_dec lib_rend)
+
+
+add_executable(IVAS_cod apps/encoder.c)
+target_link_libraries(IVAS_cod lib_enc lib_util)
+if(WIN32)
+  target_link_libraries(IVAS_cod Ws2_32)
+endif()
+
+add_executable(IVAS_dec apps/decoder.c)
+target_link_libraries(IVAS_dec lib_dec lib_util)
+if(WIN32)
+  target_link_libraries(IVAS_dec Ws2_32)
+endif()
+
+add_executable(IVAS_rend apps/renderer.c)
+target_link_libraries(IVAS_rend lib_rend lib_util lib_isar)
+target_include_directories(IVAS_rend PRIVATE lib_enc)
+
+add_executable(ISAR_post_rend apps/isar_post_rend.c)
+target_link_libraries(ISAR_post_rend lib_isar lib_util)
+target_include_directories(ISAR_post_rend PRIVATE lib_isar)
+
+if(COPY_EXECUTABLES_FROM_BUILD_DIR)
+  # Optionally copy executables to the same place where Make puts them (useful for tests that expect executables in specific places)
+  add_custom_command(TARGET IVAS_cod POST_BUILD VERBATIM COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "$<TARGET_FILE:IVAS_cod>" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/")
+  add_custom_command(TARGET IVAS_dec POST_BUILD VERBATIM COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "$<TARGET_FILE:IVAS_dec>" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/")
+  add_custom_command(TARGET IVAS_rend POST_BUILD VERBATIM COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "$<TARGET_FILE:IVAS_rend>" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/")
+  add_custom_command(TARGET ISAR_post_rend POST_BUILD VERBATIM COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "$<TARGET_FILE:ISAR_post_rend>" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/")
+  if (NOT WMOPS)
+    add_custom_command(TARGET ivas_lc3plus_unit_test POST_BUILD VERBATIM COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "$<TARGET_FILE:ivas_lc3plus_unit_test>" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/split_rendering/lc3plus_basop")
+  endif()
+endif()
+
+# Allow creating packages for CMake install
+install(TARGETS lib_enc lib_dec lib_rend lib_com lib_util ARCHIVE DESTINATION lib)