Press release Sealed appoints David Kolata as its first Vice President of Policy

Sealed Appoints David Kolata as its First Vice President of Policy to Advocate for Consumers and Drive Home Energy Efficiency and Electrification Initiatives as $9B of Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebates Takes Center Stage

[New York, New York] – Sealed, a climate tech company on a mission to stop home energy waste and electrify all homes, has appointed David Kolata as its new Vice President of Policy. In this role, Kolata will play a crucial part in shaping and advancing the company’s policy strategies to promote sustainable and efficient home electrification solutions. Much of his work will include helping Americans take full advantage of the biggest-ever federal program to fund home energy upgrades stemming from the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year. 

After serving as the Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board for the past 17 years, Kolata brings a wealth of experience in consumer-friendly policy expertise to Sealed. With a proven track record in policy development and implementation, he successfully helped lead multiple initiatives (FEJA, The HEAT Act, and CEJA among others) that positively impacted consumers across the state of Illinois. His deep understanding of the policy landscape, coupled with a passion for sustainability and energy innovation, makes him an invaluable addition to the leadership team.

“As a part of the Sealed team, David will lead Sealed’s policy efforts to help homeowners modernize their homes to be more energy efficient and comfortable,” said Andy Frank, President and Co-Founder of Sealed.

“As we continue to work with state, local, and federal policy stakeholders, David will play a critical role in supporting policies that accelerate Sealed’s mission to stop home energy waste and electrify all homes in the most effective and equitable ways possible.” 

In his new position, Kolata will collaborate closely with government agencies, regulatory bodies, industry associations, and other stakeholders to develop and support policies that drive the widespread adoption of home efficiency and electrification technologies. He will also spearhead Sealed’s participation in key industry partnerships like the Flex Coalition.

“Sealed has been on my radar for quite some time now and I’ve always been impressed by their approach to design, manage and implement energy efficient solutions for homeowners. I’ve been fighting for consumers for the past two decades and I am honored to join Sealed and contribute to its mission of advancing sustainable home efficiency and electrification,” said Kolata.

“As a longtime consumer advocate, I fully appreciate the need to fight climate change and work towards more comfortable and energy-efficient homes. Home efficiency and electrification have the potential to reduce carbon emissions, and create a greener future for generations to come. I look forward to developing frameworks that will foster innovation and allow more homeowners to control their energy-efficient future.” 

Kolata holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Vanderbilt University as well as a Masters from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor’s degree in Government from the University of Notre Dame. 

About Sealed
Sealed is a climate tech company on a mission to stop home energy waste and electrify all homes. Sealed designs, manages and finances home weatherization and electrification projects, making it easy and affordable for people to be more comfortable while using less energy.

Our proven holistic approach can reduce energy use by 50% and take a home completely off of fossil fuels with upgrades like high-performance insulation, air sealing, and heat pump HVAC. Our expert team designs the right solution, matches top-rated local contractors, and manages the project start to finish.

Sealed covers the upfront costs, and we’re accountable to impact: if we don’t cut energy waste, we don’t get paid. Sealed is venture-backed and based in New York City. Learn more at sealed.com.