diff --git a/parm/config/gfs/config.ufs b/parm/config/gfs/config.ufs
index 0db6f090a5..7cec5a0822 100644
--- a/parm/config/gfs/config.ufs
+++ b/parm/config/gfs/config.ufs
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ export cplice=".false."
 export cplchm=".false."
 export cplwav=".false."
 export cplwav2atm=".false."
-export CCPP_SUITE="FV3_GFS_v17_p8_ugwpv1"
+export CCPP_SUITE="${CCPP_SUITE:-FV3_GFS_v17_p8_ugwpv1}"
 model_list="atm"
 
 # Mediator specific settings
diff --git a/sorc/build_all.sh b/sorc/build_all.sh
index 71c877b38d..8b781d167f 100755
--- a/sorc/build_all.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_all.sh
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@ function _usage() {
 Builds all of the global-workflow components by calling the individual build
   scripts in sequence.
 
-Usage: ${BASH_SOURCE[0]} [-a UFS_app][-c build_config][-d][-h][-j n][-v][-w]
+Usage: ${BASH_SOURCE[0]} [-a UFS_app][-c build_config][-d][-f][-h][-j n][-v][-w]
   -a UFS_app:
     Build a specific UFS app instead of the default
   -d:
     Build in debug mode
+  -f:
+    Build the UFS model using the -DFASTER=ON option
   -g:
     Build GSI
   -h:
@@ -53,9 +55,10 @@ _build_job_max=20
 _quick_kill="NO"
 # Reset option counter in case this script is sourced
 OPTIND=1
-while getopts ":a:dghj:kuvw" option; do
+while getopts ":a:dfghj:kuvw" option; do
   case "${option}" in
     a) _build_ufs_opt+="-a ${OPTARG} ";;
+    f) _build_ufs_opt+="-f ";;
     d) _build_debug="-d" ;;
     g) _build_gsi="YES" ;;
     h) _usage;;
diff --git a/sorc/build_ufs.sh b/sorc/build_ufs.sh
index ac38d1dcbe..7e84eaebc2 100755
--- a/sorc/build_ufs.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_ufs.sh
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@ cwd=$(pwd)
 
 # Default settings
 APP="S2SWA"
-CCPP_SUITES="FV3_GFS_v17_p8_ugwpv1,FV3_GFS_v17_coupled_p8_ugwpv1"  # TODO: does the g-w need to build with all these CCPP_SUITES?
+CCPP_SUITES="FV3_GFS_v17_p8_ugwpv1,FV3_GFS_v17_coupled_p8_ugwpv1,FV3_global_nest_v1"  # TODO: does the g-w need to build with all these CCPP_SUITES?
 PDLIB="ON"
 
-while getopts ":da:j:vw" option; do
+while getopts ":da:fj:vw" option; do
   case "${option}" in
     d) BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
     a) APP="${OPTARG}";;
+    f) FASTER="ON";;
     j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
     v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
     w) PDLIB="OFF";;
@@ -31,7 +32,11 @@ source "./tests/module-setup.sh"
 
 MAKE_OPT="-DAPP=${APP} -D32BIT=ON -DCCPP_SUITES=${CCPP_SUITES}"
 [[ ${PDLIB:-"OFF"} = "ON" ]] && MAKE_OPT+=" -DPDLIB=ON"
-[[ ${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} = "Debug" ]] && MAKE_OPT+=" -DDEBUG=ON"
+if [[ ${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} = "DEBUG" ]] ; then
+    MAKE_OPT+=" -DDEBUG=ON"
+elif [[ "${FASTER:-OFF}" == ON ]] ; then
+    MAKE_OPT+=" -DFASTER=ON"
+fi
 COMPILE_NR=0
 CLEAN_BEFORE=YES
 CLEAN_AFTER=NO