The Khayelitsha Shared Services Office Building (KSSOB) is a pioneering initiative of the Western Cape Provincial Government. It brings a range of Provincial Service Departments ‘under one roof’ to create a ‘one stop shop’ for servicing clients and improving convenience and the efficient management of these services. The building was awarded a 5 Star Green Star SA Design Certified rating for an Office Building in 2015, the first public sector office building to achieve this distinction at the time. This places the Western Cape Government at the leading edge in terms of driving the Environmental Sustainability agenda, consistent with international trends. The KSSOB, being the tallest building in Khayelitsha , serves as a landmark structure in defining the Central Business District of the emerging new township of Khayelitsha as a key node. The building houses six storeys of office accommodation and a partially submerged parking basement and sits on a 1.5 meter high ‘plinth’ or platform from which the building is entered. The platform is accessed from a pedestrian ramp off of Steve Biko Road, which includes a canopy to provide protection from the elements. Each of the facades of the building have been treated differently to respond to climate and to lend visual interest. The palette of materials & colors used, tie in with that of the adjacent hospital, & are largely natural, accentuated with vibrant reds and blues. The form of the building was determined by the constrained site and is linear with a central circulation core which is a feature of the rear elevation. Key features of this particular building are initiatives to improve energy conservation, reduce energy consumption and reduce the overall Carbon footprint of the building. Architecturally, through solar shading, the maximization of day lighting and the minimizing of glare, the building can operate without artificial lighting for 90% of the day. It is equipped with the latest technology in Green Systems, utilizing the Thermally Activated Building System or TABS system for thermal control which through circulating hot and cold water through the floor slabs, averts the need for air-conditioning. In addition, Rainwater Harvesting is used for toilet, water efficient sanitary fittings are used and combined with a water Sub-metering & Monitoring Strategy allows for a potential 70% reduction in the use of potable water.