diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7d4e6a561..ba17fd6db 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -131,9 +131,12 @@ if (OGRE2_FOUND)
 endif()
 
 # Plugin install dirs
-set(GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR
-  ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${GZ_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/gz-${GZ_DESIGNATION}-${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}/engine-plugins
+set(GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_RELATIVE_INSTALL_DIR
+  ${GZ_LIB_INSTALL_DIR}/gz-${GZ_DESIGNATION}-${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}/engine-plugins
 )
+set(GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR
+  ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_RELATIVE_INSTALL_DIR})
+
 
 #--------------------------------------
 # Find dependencies that we ignore for Visual Studio
@@ -161,7 +164,8 @@ else()
   set(GZ_RENDERING_PLUGIN_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR})
 endif()
 
-set(GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${GZ_DATA_INSTALL_DIR})
+set(GZ_RENDERING_RELATIVE_RESOURCE_PATH ${GZ_DATA_INSTALL_DIR})
+set(GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${GZ_RENDERING_RELATIVE_RESOURCE_PATH})
 
 #============================================================================
 # Configure the build
diff --git a/include/gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh b/include/gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..60f2a7f2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023 Open Source Robotics Foundation
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef GZ_RENDERING_INSTALLATION_DIRECTORIES_HH_
+#define GZ_RENDERING_INSTALLATION_DIRECTORIES_HH_
+
+#include <string>
+
+#include <gz/rendering/config.hh>
+#include <gz/rendering/Export.hh>
+
+namespace gz
+{
+  namespace rendering
+  {
+    inline namespace GZ_RENDERING_VERSION_NAMESPACE {
+
+    /// \brief getInstallPrefix return the install prefix of the library
+    /// i.e. CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX unless the library has been moved
+    GZ_RENDERING_VISIBLE std::string getInstallPrefix();
+
+    /// \brief getResourcePath return the resource path
+    GZ_RENDERING_VISIBLE std::string getResourcePath();
+
+    /// \brief getEngineInstallDir return the install directory of the engines
+    GZ_RENDERING_VISIBLE std::string getEngineInstallDir();
+
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/gz/rendering/config.hh.in b/include/gz/rendering/config.hh.in
index 948032d94..4787a25f8 100644
--- a/include/gz/rendering/config.hh.in
+++ b/include/gz/rendering/config.hh.in
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@
 
 #define GZ_RENDERING_VERSION_HEADER "Gazebo Rendering, version ${PROJECT_VERSION_FULL}\nCopyright (C) 2014 Open Source Robotics Foundation.\nReleased under the Apache 2.0 License.\n\n"
 
-#define GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH "${GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH}"
+#define GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH _Pragma ("GCC warning \"'GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH' macro is deprecated, use gz::rendering::getResourcePath() function instead. \"") "${GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH}"
 
-#define GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR "${GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR}"
+#define GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR _Pragma ("GCC warning \"'GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR' macro is deprecated, use gz::rendering::getEngineInstallDir() function instead. \"") "${GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR}"
 
 #cmakedefine HAVE_OGRE 1
 #cmakedefine HAVE_OGRE2 1
diff --git a/ogre/src/CMakeLists.txt b/ogre/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 093301af3..c50430c0e 100644
--- a/ogre/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ogre/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ find_package(OpenGL)
 set_property(
   SOURCE OgreRenderEngine.cc OgreRTShaderSystem.cc OgreGpuRays.cc OgreMaterial.cc OgreDepthCamera.cc OgreThermalCamera.cc
   PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS
-  GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH="${GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH}"
   OGRE_RESOURCE_PATH="${OGRE_RESOURCE_PATH}"
 )
 
@@ -41,7 +40,10 @@ target_link_libraries(${ogre_target}
     )
 
 # Build the unit tests
-gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT SOURCES ${gtest_sources} LIB_DEPS ${ogre_target})
+gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT
+               SOURCES ${gtest_sources}
+               LIB_DEPS ${ogre_target}
+               ENVIRONMENT GZ_RENDERING_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
 
 # Note that plugins are currently being installed in 2 places: /lib and the engine-plugins dir
 install(TARGETS ${ogre_target} DESTINATION ${GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/ogre/src/OgreCamera.cc b/ogre/src/OgreCamera.cc
index 53c6a6606..da9587e5f 100644
--- a/ogre/src/OgreCamera.cc
+++ b/ogre/src/OgreCamera.cc
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  *
  */
 
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreCamera.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreConversions.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreIncludes.hh"
diff --git a/ogre/src/OgreDepthCamera.cc b/ogre/src/OgreDepthCamera.cc
index 23ea75049..285df433e 100644
--- a/ogre/src/OgreDepthCamera.cc
+++ b/ogre/src/OgreDepthCamera.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
   #include <windows.h>
 #endif
 #include <gz/math/Helpers.hh>
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreDepthCamera.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreMaterial.hh"
 
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ void OgreDepthCamera::CreatePointCloudTexture()
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
 
   // path to look for vertex and fragment shader parameters
   std::string pcdVSPath = common::joinPaths(
diff --git a/ogre/src/OgreMaterial.cc b/ogre/src/OgreMaterial.cc
index f7ab57b68..4f2c2fc32 100644
--- a/ogre/src/OgreMaterial.cc
+++ b/ogre/src/OgreMaterial.cc
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <gz/common/Console.hh>
 #include <gz/common/Filesystem.hh>
 
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ShaderParams.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreMaterial.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreConversions.hh"
@@ -737,7 +738,7 @@ void OgreMaterial::SetDepthMaterial(const double _far,
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
 
   // path to look for vertex and fragment shader parameters
   std::string depth_vertex_shader_path = common::joinPaths(
diff --git a/ogre/src/OgreRTShaderSystem.cc b/ogre/src/OgreRTShaderSystem.cc
index e03358c8a..0034207aa 100644
--- a/ogre/src/OgreRTShaderSystem.cc
+++ b/ogre/src/OgreRTShaderSystem.cc
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include <gz/common/Filesystem.hh>
 #include <gz/common/Util.hh>
 
-#include "gz/rendering/config.hh"
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreRenderEngine.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreScene.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreMaterial.hh"
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ bool OgreRTShaderSystem::Paths(std::string &coreLibsPath,
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
 
   // path to look for ogre media files
   std::vector<std::string> paths;
diff --git a/ogre/src/OgreRenderEngine.cc b/ogre/src/OgreRenderEngine.cc
index 9ff5c3f60..f73a4edc1 100644
--- a/ogre/src/OgreRenderEngine.cc
+++ b/ogre/src/OgreRenderEngine.cc
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include <gz/common/Filesystem.hh>
 #include <gz/common/Util.hh>
 
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/RenderEngineManager.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreIncludes.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre/OgreRenderEngine.hh"
@@ -582,7 +583,7 @@ void OgreRenderEngine::CreateResources()
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
   // install path
   std::string mediaPath = common::joinPaths(resourcePath, "ogre", "media");
   paths.push_back(mediaPath);
diff --git a/ogre2/src/CMakeLists.txt b/ogre2/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 7792efae7..a2bc508e3 100644
--- a/ogre2/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ogre2/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ gz_add_component(${engine_name} SOURCES ${sources} GET_TARGET_NAME ogre2_target)
 set_property(
   SOURCE Ogre2RenderEngine.cc
   PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS
-  GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH="${GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH}"
   OGRE2_RESOURCE_PATH="${OGRE2_RESOURCE_PATH}"
   OGRE2_VERSION="${OGRE2_VERSION}"
 )
@@ -82,6 +81,9 @@ if (USE_GLX)
 endif()
 
 # Build the unit tests
-gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT SOURCES ${gtest_sources} LIB_DEPS ${ogre2_target})
+gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT
+               SOURCES ${gtest_sources}
+               LIB_DEPS ${ogre2_target}
+               ENVIRONMENT GZ_RENDERING_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
 
 install(DIRECTORY "media"  DESTINATION ${GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH}/ogre2)
diff --git a/ogre2/src/Ogre2RenderEngine.cc b/ogre2/src/Ogre2RenderEngine.cc
index 4b30f60bd..049781b48 100644
--- a/ogre2/src/Ogre2RenderEngine.cc
+++ b/ogre2/src/Ogre2RenderEngine.cc
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <gz/plugin/Register.hh>
 
 #include "gz/rendering/GraphicsAPI.hh"
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/RenderEngineManager.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre2/Ogre2Includes.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/ogre2/Ogre2RenderEngine.hh"
@@ -766,7 +767,8 @@ void Ogre2RenderEngine::RegisterHlms()
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
+
   // install path
   std::string mediaPath = common::joinPaths(resourcePath, "ogre2", "media");
   if (!common::exists(mediaPath))
@@ -969,7 +971,7 @@ void Ogre2RenderEngine::CreateResources()
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
   // install path
   std::string mediaPath = common::joinPaths(resourcePath, "ogre2", "media");
   if (!common::exists(mediaPath))
diff --git a/optix/src/CMakeLists.txt b/optix/src/CMakeLists.txt
index c813f0ba2..daa896a29 100644
--- a/optix/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/optix/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ set(cuda_sources
 
 set_property(
   SOURCE OptixRenderEngine.cc
-  PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS
-  GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH="${GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH}"
 )
 
 target_link_libraries(${optix_target}
@@ -43,7 +41,9 @@ target_link_libraries(${optix_target}
     optix::optix_prime)
 
 # Build the unit tests
-gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT SOURCES ${gtest_sources})
+gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT
+               SOURCES ${gtest_sources}
+               ENVIRONMENT GZ_RENDERING_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
 
 # Note that plugins are currently being installed in 2 places: /lib and the engine-plugins dir
 install(TARGETS ${optix_target} DESTINATION ${GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/optix/src/OptixRenderEngine.cc b/optix/src/OptixRenderEngine.cc
index 9bb862f5d..041aa3508 100644
--- a/optix/src/OptixRenderEngine.cc
+++ b/optix/src/OptixRenderEngine.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ std::string OptixRenderEngine::PtxFile(const std::string& _fileBase) const
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
   resourcePath = common::joinPaths(resourcePath, "optix");
   folders.push_back(resourcePath);
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index c47093632..0271e723f 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ endif()
 
 # Create the library target.
 gz_create_core_library(SOURCES ${sources})
+gz_add_get_install_prefix_impl(GET_INSTALL_PREFIX_FUNCTION gz::rendering::getInstallPrefix
+                               GET_INSTALL_PREFIX_HEADER gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh
+                               OVERRIDE_INSTALL_PREFIX_ENV_VARIABLE GZ_RENDERING_INSTALL_PREFIX)
 
 # Include the interface directories that we always need.
 #gz_target_interface_include_directories(${PROJECT_LIBRARY_TARGET_NAME}
@@ -26,6 +29,13 @@ set_property(
   GZ_RENDERING_PLUGIN_PATH="${GZ_RENDERING_PLUGIN_PATH}"
 )
 
+set_property(
+  SOURCE InstallationDirectories.cc
+  PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS
+  GZ_RENDERING_RELATIVE_RESOURCE_PATH="${GZ_RENDERING_RELATIVE_RESOURCE_PATH}"
+  GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_RELATIVE_INSTALL_DIR="${GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_RELATIVE_INSTALL_DIR}"
+)
+
 target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_LIBRARY_TARGET_NAME}
   PUBLIC
   gz-common${GZ_COMMON_VER}::requested
@@ -38,4 +48,6 @@ if (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
 endif()
 
 # Build the unit tests.
-gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT SOURCES ${gtest_sources})
+gz_build_tests(TYPE UNIT
+               SOURCES ${gtest_sources}
+               ENVIRONMENT GZ_RENDERING_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
diff --git a/src/InstallationDirectories.cc b/src/InstallationDirectories.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0e32a8b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/InstallationDirectories.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023 Open Source Robotics Foundation
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+*/
+
+#include <gz/rendering/config.hh>
+#include <gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh>
+
+#include <gz/common/Filesystem.hh>
+
+namespace gz
+{
+namespace rendering
+{
+inline namespace GZ_RENDERING_VERSION_NAMESPACE {
+
+std::string getResourcePath()
+{
+  return gz::common::joinPaths(
+      getInstallPrefix(), GZ_RENDERING_RELATIVE_RESOURCE_PATH);
+}
+
+std::string getEngineInstallDir()
+{
+  return gz::common::joinPaths(
+      getInstallPrefix(), GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_RELATIVE_INSTALL_DIR);
+}
+
+}
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/RenderEngineManager.cc b/src/RenderEngineManager.cc
index e8bab0bc8..f9e657792 100644
--- a/src/RenderEngineManager.cc
+++ b/src/RenderEngineManager.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <gz/plugin/Loader.hh>
 
-#include "gz/rendering/config.hh"
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/RenderEngine.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/RenderEngineManager.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/RenderEnginePlugin.hh"
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ bool RenderEngineManagerPrivate::LoadEnginePlugin(
 
   // Add default install folder.
   systemPaths.AddPluginPaths(std::string(GZ_RENDERING_PLUGIN_PATH));
-  systemPaths.AddPluginPaths({GZ_RENDERING_ENGINE_INSTALL_DIR});
+  systemPaths.AddPluginPaths(gz::rendering::getEngineInstallDir());
 
   // Add any preset plugin paths.
   for (const auto &path : this->pluginPaths)
diff --git a/src/base/BaseScene.cc b/src/base/BaseScene.cc
index 3803d127f..83df68193 100644
--- a/src/base/BaseScene.cc
+++ b/src/base/BaseScene.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "gz/rendering/BoundingBoxCamera.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/COMVisual.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/InertiaVisual.hh"
+#include "gz/rendering/InstallationDirectories.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/JointVisual.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/LidarVisual.hh"
 #include "gz/rendering/LightVisual.hh"
@@ -1601,7 +1602,7 @@ void BaseScene::CreateMaterials()
   }
 
   std::string resourcePath = (env) ? std::string(env) :
-      GZ_RENDERING_RESOURCE_PATH;
+      gz::rendering::getResourcePath();
 
   // path to look for CoM material texture
   std::string com_material_texture_path = common::joinPaths(