About Mihai Toader-Pasti and his work

1️⃣ Accelerating sustainable (ESG) transformation
for individuals, organizations and cities

2️⃣ Creating the best living experience &
sustainable buildings in the world

3️⃣ Building new worlds by using AI
to blend architecture and engineering.

Biography and Photos

Founder towards0 & ÎntreVecini

ESG Expert with 13 years experience in sustainability, winning 50+ national and international awards, individually and collectively. Mihai Toader-Pasti is the founder of towards0 - company accelerating ESG transformation for companies and cities and founder of ÎntreVecini - non-profit creating a network of sustainable urban communities throughout neighbourhoods in Romanian cities.

In the past, Mihai co-founded and co-led Romania's most awarded sustainability non-profit - EFdeN, that designed and built Europe's most sustainable home (LEED, 105p) for the world’s most important competition for solar homes and energiaTa, making energy prosumers a reality in Romania with a community of 20k people now. He also led 2 other organizations, Future Energy Leaders Romania and Global Shapers Bucharest Hub, a community founded by the World Economic Forum. For 3 years, Mihai was a member of the World Energy Council Communication and Strategy Committee.

Mihai is an Obama Leader, Eisenhower Youth Leader, Climate Reality Leader and Aspen Institute fellow, being included in Forbes Europe 30 under 30, JCI 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World and BIZ Champions of Innovation

Mihai is an experienced speaker & trainer that co-authored several books and co-cordinated Sustainable Romania Book for Club Romania Publishing House supported by Konrad Adanauer Stiftung, German Marshall Fund of the US și Institut Francais des Relations Internationales.

Mihai's expertise spans a diverse array of domains. He is certified as CFA ESG Investing, LEED Green Greater, PHi Passive House Designer, Living Future Institute AP, ITC Infrared Level 1 and has attended courses on sustainability, climate change and digitisation at ESCP Paris, Harvard, Cambridge and Stanford.

Mihai believes that the future of cities resides in a symbiotic relationship between the built environment, humans and nature and it's our responsibility to foster collaboration amongst the stakeholders impacting life within cities.

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For collaborations, contact me via mihai@toaderpasti.com or LinkedIn. Photo Collection here.

Values

AMBITION / MEANINGFULL WORK / LEADING BY EXAMPLE / EFFIENCY / FUN / LOVE / TRUTH / RESILIENCE / HOPE

You have to be Ambitious to live the life to the fullest, and you make every moment count by doing Meaninfgul work. It's easy to talk, harder to walk the talk, specially today, and the only way to inspire change is by Leading by Example. You can blend Effiency and Fun when you do what you Love with the people you Love to spend time with. The world is volatile, uncertaint, complex, and ambiguous so you need Truth to see it for what it is, not what you wish for and be able to objectively analyse yourselves and improve. To not stop, and keep walking, even when it's painful, you need to build Resilience. And at the end, Hope that it all worthed it.

My Work Activity

Which you can read more about here.

ÎntreVecini – creating micro-communities nation wide around neighberhood projects related to sustainability :: Founder and Co-Coordinator
EFdeN – from students design and building internationally awarded homes to cocreating future cities :: Cofounder & CEO
energiaTa – changing the law by creating a movement and a guide :: Cofounder & JoAT
Future Energy Leaders Romania – creating support eco-systems to build Romania’s future of energy :: Chairman
Global Shapers Bucharest Hub– empowering change at the local level :: Curator
nZEB Roadshow – accelerating transition to net Zero Energy Buildings :: Expert
WeWilder, bringing people and nature back together :: Sustainability Advisor
Tabăra Meseriașilor, empowering vocational highscools :: Mentor
Romania Green Building Council – co-creating Romania’s renovation strategy: Manager of Development & Strategy
PRISPA – the first Romanian team at Solar Decathlon :: Student Team Leader

International Experience

Working Groups and Organisations

World Energy Council – Strategy and Communication Committee :: Member
G20 Global Solution – Working Group on Urbanization & Infrastructure :: Junior Expert & Economy & Wellbeing Working Group :: Member
Global Shapers Community, iniative of World Economic Forum :: Regional Lead, Climate Change and Sustainability
Future Energy Leaders 100, World Energy Council :: Co-chair of Development of New National FEL Programmes
YOUNGO, UN-related constituency :: Member

Fellowships

THINC Leadership 2022)
Climate Reality Leadership Corps (2019) :: Training with Al Gore
ChangemakerXChange Berin (2019)
Global Youth Climate Network GYCN (2019) :: Climate Ambassador
Eisenhower Fellowships Youth Leaders (2018) :: Co-chair
Aspen Institute Romania Young Leaders Program 2017
UNLEASH, Singapore (2018)

Education & Certifications

Education

Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership – Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions Course
Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education – Climate Change Policy: Economics & Politics Course
altMBA (2020)
Lots of MOOC Courses
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest :: Degree in Civil Engineering (2015)

Certifications

Accredited Thermographer (lvl 1) - Infrared Training Limited
Living Future Institute Accredited Professional
Passive House Designer – Passivhaus Institut (PHI)
LEED Green Rater (Certifier) – Green Business Certification
LEED Home AP (Accredited Professional) – Green Business Certificatio
Climate Reality Leader @ Climate Reality Training, Altanta
Green Building Professional – Romanian Green Building Council
Sustainability Manager – Denkstatt ECQA Romania

Awards & Recognition

International

European Parliament – Faces of Europe – 2022
Forbes 30 under 30 Europe – 2021
JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World – 2020

National

JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the Year Romania – 2019
FEL100 – World Energy Council – 2019
Front Runner, Future Talents – Cariere Magazine
Young Energy Professional of the Year – Energynomics
Nomination, Social Involvement – Unica Magazine
Forbes 30 under 30 Legacy
Medal and Brevet – Romanian National Committee, World Energy Council
Front Runner, Leader of the New Generation – Cariere Magazine
King of Social Media Summer Camp – BIZ Magazine
Climate LaunchPad, 1st prize – national phase
Creativity Award – University of Theatre and Film Bucharest
100 People for Romania of Tomorrow – DOR
Featured on the cover of Forbes România: ”30 Under 30”
Featured on the cover of BIZ Magazine: ”Innovation Champions”
Featured in European Heroes series
‘100 Peoples and Ideas changing Romania” – Foreign Policy România
”100 Faces of Innovation” – Club România and The Financial Times
10 (Ten) – Movie Documentary on 10 change-makers in Romania

Team Awards

Speaking Panels

2023: British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce - ESG, renewables and investment / AIESEC & One - Careers and Trends / Global Shapers & Swiss Embassy - ESG

2020: Energy Tech Day 2020 / Euro Urbanism

2019: TEDx Bucharest: Who builds the world we want to live in / Forbes 30 Under 30 e-summit / BIZ Days CSR: The secret formula for doing well while doing good

2017: Dec: One Planet Summit / 23 Mai: EY Romania – „25 de intrebari pentru viitorul României” / 11 Mai: Conferința 2017 InvestEnergy: R-evoluție în energie / 28-29 Martie: Tabăra Meseriașilor, Gorj / 18 Martie: Imagine you Future

2016:25 Noiembrie: ERICSSON Talks / 15 Noiembrie: Zilele BIZ, Ziua Inovației / 3 Noiembrie: HR Innovation Conference / 31 Octombrie: 9th Balkan Energy Finance Forum, Belgrade / 24 Octombrie: Aspen Energy Labs / 19 Octombrie: RoEnergy, Timișoara / 5 Iulie: Sustainable Buildings – ”A STEP INTO THE FUTURE” / 22 Iunie: European Parliament “Towards Sustainable Energy Sectors in Central and South East Europe: Success Stories” / 11 Mai: Forbes Future Innovation

2015: 17 Decembrie – Forumul CAESAR ”România în 3D” / 7 Decembrie – COP21 Agreement, Paris, Energy Climate House

2014: 18 Octombrie: Simpozion Arhitectura in Europa 2020 / 16 Octombrie: Conferinta despre constructiile sustenabile si eficienta energetica / 11 Martie: Mediul universitar si mediul de afaceri: 150 de ani de istorie

2013: 19 Octombrie: Cercetare în arhitectură şi design / 25 Mai: TEDx@Iași. Biblioteca Centrală Universitară, Iaşi / 20 Februarie: Conferința PV Romania | Hotel Intercontinental – București

2012: 17 Noiembrie: TEDx Youth@Reghin | Reghin

High-level Meetings

United Nations UN Climate Summit & General Assembly, NY, US (September 2019)
UN High-level Meeting: Climate Action Leaders’ Roundtables, NY, US (March 2019)
World Urban Forum, Kuala Lumpur (2018)
One Planet Summit, Paris (2017)
European Parliament, Bruxelles, Belgium (2016)
UN COP21, Paris (2015)

Media Coverage

2021: The Diplomat Bucharest | Invest Energy | e-nergia.ro

2020: Forbes Romania | Energy Industry Review | ziare.com

2019: Digi24 Bonton | Ziarul Financiar | BrandMinds | Forbes Digi24 | Pandurul

2015: Antena 1 | Adevărul | Antena3

2012: zf.ro | businessmagazine.ro | zi-de-zi.ro | zf.ro | hotnews.ro

Trainings & Mentorship

French Institute in Bucharest Workshop for NGOs – 2021
PENNY Workshop on Sustainability & Climate Change – 2020
Microsoft Workshop on Sustainability & Climate Change – 2020
HEEN Workshop Berlin – 2019
MENS – Ianuarie | Cluj – Training despre Sustenabilitate și Clădiri Verzi @2017
MSLGROUP The Practice – Sustainability Training @2016
MINDSHARE – Sustainability Training @2016
ROMSTAL – @2016 January – March | Craiova, Suceava, Arad, București, ”Sustainability Consultant Trainings”
ING Bank – @2014 August | Constanța – Training Eco-Tehnologii
OMV PETROM – Septembrie | Bran – Țara lui Andrei – Tabăra Meseriașilor 2016, @2017, 2018 & 2019 Mentor
Future Makers Mentor

Facilitaror & Moderator

Romania Business Leaders Summit (2023)
SIS Sustainable Futures @ Palatul Parlamentului (2022)
Share Bucharest (2020)
Future Makers (2020)
World Energy Council Summit in Abu Dhabi (2019)
InvestEnergy Conference (2019)
Conferința 2017 InvestEnergy: R-evoluție în energie (2017)
Săptămâna Sustenabilității – Ziua Voluntariatului (2016)

Juror

European Leader - European Comission in Romania (2022)
Future Makers, 55 startups from Romania (2020 & 2019)
Robots Competition (2019)
Idei din Țara lui Andrei, 131 projects, 200.000 euro in funding (2017)
Idei din Țara lui Andrei, 132 projects, 150.000 euro in total (2016)

Publishing

Books

Co-author – Energy efficient houses – From theory to practice, 2016 Matrix Rom, 978-606-25-0168-6 (+)
Co-author – Energy. Operational concepts and tools, 2019 Club Romania Publishing House 978-606-94561-6-3 (+)
Coordinator – Sustainable Romania, 2021 Club Romania Publishing House, 978-606-95075-2-0 (+)

Articles

Co-author – Intersecting Sustainable Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 The Global Solutions Dialogue
Co-author – Intersecting Volume on Urban Metabolism and Circular Economy, 2022 GIZ.de
Solar House and Prosumers in Romania – Balkan Green Energy News
Future jobs and young Romanians today- Forbes
PRISPA and EFdeN, two best-case examples in Romania – Architecture Magazine

Hobbies & Passions

Scubadiving. 30m depth done, pursuing Advanced.
Sailing. Only in Romania and Greece so far.
Motocycling across Europe. Ideally alone.
Tennis & Footbal
Piano. Still learning to play, but my dream is to write at least one great arrangement before I die
Sky-diving. Just started.

F.A.Q.

Is Pasti or Paști? And what is the first name?

Pasti is corect. My first name is Mihai (Michael), and Toader-Pasti is my last name, some people call me TP. Toader is my father’s family name, while Pasti is my mother’s. In Romania, usually, the woman and the kids take the husband’s last name. But my mother’s parents had two daughters, so no possibility for my grandfather ‘Mănene’ to pass his name to the next generations. Fortunately, my father was so cool that he decided to combine both family names. One small step for one person, one big step for our entire family.

About why & what I do, for the English speakers