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A good lighting system will place the proper quantity and quality of light where it is needed in a cost-effective way. The amount of light needed is highly dependent on the tasks being performed. The light needed to see while crossing an open lot or farmyard is quite different from that needed for reading or operating machinery. In all cases, having good lighting is vital to health, comfort, convenience, and safety.

The objective of this chapter is to describe the basic concepts of light and lighting, types of light sources, and methods for determining lighting needs, such that informed decisions about lighting systems can be made. Techniques described will be generally applicable to a wide variety of lighting problems. However, lighting is a very broad and sometimes quite technical field, therefore this chapter presents only an introduction to the topic. For further information the reader is referred to the reference list at the end of the chapter, in particular the publications of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA).