HDRI environments for SketchUp

Load an HDRI in V-Ray for SketchUp

1. Add a Dome Light from the V-Ray toolbar and place it in the scene.
2. Open the Asset Editor and select the Dome Light.
3. Click the texture slot and load the HDRI file.
4. Set the Dome Light shape to Sphere and set intensity, starting around 100 and adjusting per scene since each HDRI has a different average brightness.
5. In the texture slot's Texture Placement tab, set Rotate H to align the sun and reflections with the model.
6. Turn off V-Ray's Sunlight so the HDRI is the only light source and the shadow direction matches the sky.

V-Ray for SketchUp reads standard equirectangular .hdr and .exr panoramas through the texture slot.

Which resolution

Vendor guidance for SketchUp scenes points to 4K or 8K HDRIs for good performance and file-handling. For lighting and reflections only, 4096x2048 to 8192x4096 is enough. For a sky visible directly in the render, use 16000x8000 to 20000x10000; on typical SketchUp hardware, keep the working file at 8192x4096 or 10240x5120 and reserve the full 20000x10000 set for final still renders.

Sun and shadows

Use one of HDRI Hub's 52 unclipped skies so the sun disc is intact in the Dome Light and casts a sharp shadow edge. With V-Ray's own Sunlight turned off, the HDRI's sun position and the Rotate H value together control shadow direction; no separate sun object is needed.