The mission of IES is to advance knowledge and publicize information for the improvement of lighted environments to the benefit of society.

For more than ninety years, the IES has been the recognized technical authority on illumination. Our objective is to communicate information on all aspects of good lighting practice to our members, the lighting community, and consumers through a variety of programs, publications, and services. IES’s diverse membership includes engineers, architects, designers, educators, students, contractors, distributors, utility personnel, manufacturers, and scientists.

Essentially, IES is a forum to exchange ideas and information and for professional development and recognition.  Technical committees correlate research, investigate, and discuss to create recommendations.

Recommended practices are available in a variety of publications, design guides, and technical memoranda. Having published nearly 100 publications, IES also works with related organizations to jointly publish standards and documents.