JBA Sales and the EPD gap in AV
JBA Sales is a manufacturers’ rep, not a factory. They curate well‑known audio and video brands for the residential and light‑commercial channel in Metro New York and North Jersey. Great for performance. Tricky for EPDs, which tend to follow building materials more than electronics. Here’s where that leaves their specabilty on projects that ask for declarations.
Who they are
JBA Sales is a regional manufacturers’ representative firm that showcases AV brands such as Yamaha, Focal, Naim, SunBrite TV, Russound, and WyreStorm in Metro New York and North Jersey (company site). They help dealers and integrators select products and win bids. They do not manufacture products themselves.
What they sell
Their portfolio spans several product categories: AV receivers and amplifiers, speakers and subs, distributed audio, connectivity, and outdoor displays. Across those lines, available models likely sit in the hundreds when you add finishes, bundles, and generations. It’s a broad catalog by rep‑firm standards, covering entertainment and communication rather than core construction materials.
Do these products typically carry EPDs
Not usually. Project EPD requests focus on permanently installed building products like ceilings, wall panels, insulation, gypsum, flooring, and fenestration. Electronics for AV distribution and home theater rarely appear in construction EPD registries. That means coverage under JBA’s current brand set is light to none from an EPD point of view.
The practical gap on specs
Consider a school auditorium or a clinic waiting room. Architects may seek both intelligible sound and sound‑absorbing finishes. If the bid centers only on electronics, it risks missing the EPD box many owners now expect for interior finishes. Acoustic ceilings and wall absorbers often come with product‑specific EPDs from manufacturers like Rockfon and Ecophon. Rockfon reports second‑generation EPDs covering 160 acoustic product variants, representing 91 percent of its sales portfolio in scope (Rockfon, 2024) (Rockfon, 2024). Saint‑Gobain Ecophon’s Focus and Master ranges have current EPDs registered with The International EPD System that remain valid well into 2028 (EPD International, 2025) (EPD International, 2025).
Likely best‑sellers without declarations
AV receivers, amplifiers, and passive speakers are likely high‑volume items for a rep firm like JBA Sales. We did not find product‑specific EPDs for those categories in major building‑product EPD registries. That does not undermine performance or reliability. It simply means these SKUs will not contribute to EPD‑count thresholds when project teams tally compliant products for sustainability goals under current owner standards and the direction of LEED v5.
Who they meet in competitive lineups
On projects where EPDs influence shortlists, JBA Sales’ bids will often sit alongside or against finish‑system providers that do publish EPDs. Think Armstrong World Industries for acoustical ceilings, Rockfon for stone wool systems, Ecophon for glass wool panels, and Autex for PET wall finishes. Even when the decision is primarily about audio quality, finish packages with declared impacts can sway an owner’s procurement playbook.
What would improve their spec position
There are two paths. One is to pair AV proposals with EPD‑backed acoustic finishes and mounts from third‑party manufacturers, turning a performance‑only pitch into a performance‑plus‑compliance package. The other is to encourage brand principals to pursue EPDs where a suitable PCR exists for the product type. For example, c‑PCR 014 covers acoustical ceiling and wall solutions which has been widely used by leading acoustics brands (EPD International, 2025) (EPD International, 2025).
Commercial why‑it‑matters
In many RFPs, selecting a product without a product‑specific EPD triggers conservative carbon accounting and extra documentation. That adds friction at precisely the point teams want to move. When a package includes EPD‑declared finishes, the AV portion doesn’t have to carry the sustainability narrative alone, and pricing pressure tends to ease because the bundle clears a compliance gate. We dont need to overcomplicate it.
Getting it done without the chaos
If brand owners decide to create EPDs for acoustical or mounting components, the heavy lift is data, not modeling. A good LCA partner will map to the most common PCR used by competitors, pull one clean reference year of utility and production data, and publish with a recognized operator in the target market. That makes the next renewal faster and keeps the sales team selling instead of chasing spreadsheets.
Bottom line for JBA Sales
As a rep organization, JBA Sales shines in product performance and channel service. For EPD‑driven projects, pairing their AV packages with EPD‑declared acoustic finishes from established ceiling and wall brands is the simplest way to show up strong. If any principal in their portfolio moves into acoustical treatments or mounting hardware, prioritizing an EPD there will pay back quickly in specs won and time saved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is JBA Sales a manufacturer that can publish EPDs under its own name
No. JBA Sales is a manufacturers’ representative. EPDs, if desired, would be published by the original product manufacturers or by finish‑system partners included in a bundled bid.
Which product categories in JBA’s orbit commonly have EPDs
Acoustical ceilings and wall panels, gypsum board, and sometimes mounting or partition components. AV electronics generally do not appear with product‑specific EPDs in building‑product registries.
What is the lowest‑effort way to compete on EPD‑heavy projects
Bundle AV with EPD‑declared finishes from ceiling or wall brands. This satisfies owner documentation while keeping the AV choice focused on performance.
About the Author
Walker Ryan is a climate-tech entrepreneur focused on driving industrial decarbonization through better data. As the founder and CEO of Parq, he helps manufacturers generate high-quality, third-party–verified carbon disclosures at scale—accelerating a traditionally slow and expensive process. Before starting Parq, Walker led over $200 million in sustainability-focused investments as VP of Strategy & Growth at ReStream Solutions, following earlier experience in investment banking at Deutsche Bank. He brings a rare mix of capital markets expertise and hands-on sustainability knowledge to tackling the infrastructure of industrial emissions.
