---
title: "Environment"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VSKETCHUP/109790398/Environment"
format: markdown
---
This page provides details about the Environment rollout in the V-Ray Asset Editor. Overview The Environment section in V-Ray render parameters is where you can specify a color or a texture map to be used during GI and reflection/refraction calculations. If you don't specify a color/map, then the background color and map specified in the SketchUp Environment dialog are used by default. For all volumetric environment effects, check  Volumetric Environment  page.  UI Path ||V-Ray Asset Editor|| >  Settings  >  Environment Parameters Background  – Specifies a color/texture map to be visible in the background and used during GI and reflection/refraction calculations. Press the checkerboard button to select a texture. If a texture is selected, it overrides the color as long as the texture checkbox is enabled. GI (skylight)  – Specifies a color/texture map to override the Environment GI rays. The effect of changing the GI environment is similar to a dome light. Note that  Global Illumination (GI)  must be enabled. Reflection  – Specifies a color/texture map to override the Environment reflection rays. Note that you can also override the reflection environment on a per material basis (see  Generic ) or a per map basis. If you do not enable the Refraction override, this group of controls affects both reflections and refractions. If you enable the Refraction override, then this group affects only reflections. Refraction  – Specifies a color/texture map to override the Environment refraction rays. This color is ignored if there is an environment texture specified. Secondary Matte  – Specifies a color/texture map to override the Environment rays affecting Matte objects.   The above GI environment overrides have the following common controls: On  – Enables or disables the specified GI environment override. Not available for the Background only. Texture  – Specifies a color or texture for the specified override. Note that  Texture Enable  must be enabled to have an effect on the scene. Texture Enable  – Enables or disables the specified GI texture. The textures used in  Environment  are always loaded in full size, regardless of the  GPU Texture Mode  setting. The  Environment map slot  automatically sets its slotted texture as a global texture in the  Textures List . All subsequent textures created in that slot have a prefix "Environment" in their name and are automatically set as  global textures  as well. A bitmap image (HDRI) set in any Environment map slot automatically uses a UVWGenEnvironment  Spherical Mapping Type  placement. The rotation of the image can be adjusted from the Bitmap  UVW  options using the  Vertical  and  Horizontal  rotation parameters.  For more information, see the  Bitmap  page.