diff --git a/.github/workflows/apptainer-build-image.yml b/.github/workflows/apptainer-build-image.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83ee28f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/apptainer-build-image.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+name: build-image
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      image-name:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      build-context:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      dockerfile:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      r-version:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      parent-image:
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+        type: string
+      model-version:
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+        type: string
+      dockerhub-repo:
+        required: false
+        default: "hdpriest0uiuc"
+        type: string
+      platforms:
+        required: false
+        default: "linux/amd64"
+        type: string
+    secrets:
+      DOCKERHUB_USERNAME:
+        description: 'DockerHub username used to push images'
+        required: false
+      DOCKERHUB_PASSWORD:
+        description: 'DockerHub password used to push images'
+        required: false
+
+env:
+  DEFAULT_R_VERSION: "4.4"
+  GITHUB_PAT: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    permissions:
+      packages: write
+
+    steps:
+
+      - name: lowercase image name
+        id: name
+        run: |
+          echo "image_name=$(echo ${{ inputs.image-name }} | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "repository=$(echo ${{ github.repository_owner }} | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: set PARENT_IMAGE only if specified
+        id: parent
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          echo "PARENT_IMAGE_IF_SET=$(
+            [[ -n '${{ inputs.parent-image }}' ]] &&
+            echo "PARENT_IMAGE=ghcr.io/${{ steps.name.outputs.repository }}/"'${{ inputs.parent-image }}'
+            )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: set MODEL_VERSION only if specified
+        id: modelver
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          echo "MODEL_VERSION_IF_SET=$(
+            [[ -n '${{ inputs.model-version }}' ]] &&
+            echo 'MODEL_VERSION=${{ inputs.model-version }}'
+            )" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      # create metadata for image
+      - name: Docker meta
+        env:
+          check_var: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
+          is_default_R: ${{ inputs.r-version == env.DEFAULT_R_VERSION }}
+        id: meta
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        with:
+          # list of Docker images to use as base name for tags
+          images: |
+            name=ghcr.io/${{ steps.name.outputs.repository }}/${{ steps.name.outputs.image_name }}
+            name=${{ inputs.dockerhub-repo }}/${{ steps.name.outputs.image_name }},enable=${{ env.check_var != null }}
+          # generate Docker tags based on the following events/attributes
+          tags: |
+            type=raw,value=latest
+          #  type=schedule
+          # type=ref,event=branch,enable=${{ env.is_default_R }}
+          # type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-R${{ inputs.r-version }}
+          # type=ref,event=pr
+          # type=semver,pattern={{version}},enable=${{ env.is_default_R }}
+          # type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}},enable=${{ env.is_default_R }}
+          # type=semver,pattern={{major}},enable=${{ env.is_default_R }}
+          # type=semver,pattern={{version}},suffix=-R${{ inputs.r-version }}
+
+      # setup docker build
+      - name: Set up QEMU
+        uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        id: buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Inspect Builder
+        run: |
+          echo "Name:      ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.name }}"
+          echo "Endpoint:  ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.endpoint }}"
+          echo "Status:    ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.status }}"
+          echo "Flags:     ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.flags }}"
+          echo "Platforms: ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.platforms }}"
+
+      # login to registries
+      - name: Login to DockerHub
+        env: 
+          check_var: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
+        if: env.check_var != null
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_PASSWORD }}
+
+      - name: Login to GitHub Container Registry
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.repository_owner }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      # build the docker images
+      - name: Build and push ${{ steps.name.outputs.image_name }}
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        with:
+          context: ${{ inputs.build-context }}
+          file: ${{ inputs.dockerfile }}
+          push: true
+          platforms: ${{ inputs.platforms }}
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
+          tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
+          labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
+          build-args: |
+            VERSION=${{ steps.meta.outputs.version }}
+            IMAGE_VERSION=${{ steps.meta.outputs.version }}
+            PECAN_VERSION=${{ steps.meta.outputs.version }}
+            R_VERSION=${{ inputs.r-version }}
+            ${{ steps.parent.outputs.PARENT_IMAGE_IF_SET }}
+            ${{ steps.modelver.outputs.MODEL_VERSION_IF_SET }}
+            GITHUB_PAT=${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+            PECAN_GIT_BRANCH=${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
+            PECAN_GIT_CHECKSUM=${{ github.sha }}
+            PECAN_GIT_DATE=${{ github.event.repository.updated_at }}